OCR MEI C2 2014 June — Question 13

Exam BoardOCR MEI
ModuleC2 (Core Mathematics 2)
Year2014
SessionJune
TopicExponential Functions

13 The thickness of a glacier has been measured every five years from 1960 to 2010. The table shows the reduction in thickness from its measurement in 1960.
Year1965197019751980198519901995200020052010
Number of years since \(1960 ( t )\)5101520253035404550
Reduction in thickness since \(1960 ( h \mathrm {~m} )\)0.71.01.72.33.64.76.08.21215.9
An exponential model may be used for these data, assuming that the relationship between \(h\) and \(t\) is of the form \(h = a \times 10 ^ { b t }\), where \(a\) and \(b\) are constants to be determined.
  1. Show that this relationship may be expressed in the form \(\log _ { 10 } h = m t + c\), stating the values of \(m\) and \(c\) in terms of \(a\) and \(b\).
  2. Complete the table of values in the answer book, giving your answers correct to 2 decimal places, and plot the graph of \(\log _ { 10 } h\) against \(t\), drawing by eye a line of best fit.
  3. Use your graph to find \(h\) in terms of \(t\) for this model.
  4. Calculate by how much the glacier will reduce in thickness between 2010 and 2020, according to the model.
  5. Give one reason why this model will not be suitable in the long term. \section*{END OF QUESTION PAPER}