Exponential word problems almost always work off the growth / decay formula, A = Pe rt, where "A" is the ending amount of whatever you're dealing with (money, bacteria growing in a petri dish, radioactive decay of an element highlighting your X-ray), "P" is the beginning amount of that same "whatever", "r" is the growth or decay rate, and "t" is time. Bacteria - Bacteria - Growth of bacterial populations: Growth of bacterial cultures is defined as an increase in the number of bacteria in a population rather than in the size of individual cells. The growth of a bacterial population occurs in a geometric or exponential manner: with each division cycle (generation), one cell gives rise to 2 cells, then 4 cells, then 8 cells, then 16, then 32 An alternative method is used to describe bacterial growth in mathematical terms when the culture is undergoing balanced growth. The rate of increase in bacteria at any particular time is proportional to the Cell number of mass or bacteria present at that time (Fig. 19.1).