Thing is, population usually grows exponentially if it can. The number
of children is propotional to the current population, then the next
number of children is proportional to the new population, and so on.
A1=k*A0. A2=k*A1. A3=k*A2=k*k*A1=k^3*A0. An=k^n*A0. Not quite the
usual derivation, which involves some calculus I can't remember how to
set up off hand, but that should give the idea. 2 rabbits, 4 rabbits, 8
rabbits, 16 rabbits, etc. Again, that's given ideal situations, like
cooperative bacteria in a petrie dish. But when Africa's population is
said to be growing at 3% a year, that's exponential.
I haven't even seen "hyperbolic growth" in my math classes. Could
someone define it?
Slainte,
-xx- Damien R. Sullivan X-) <*> http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~phoenix