Which growth pattern describes a population increasing at a constant percentage per unit time?

Which growth pattern describes a population increasing at a constant percentage per unit time?

• A. Arithmetic growth
• B. Logistic growth
• C. Linear growth
• D. Exponential growth

Answer: (D)

Constant percentage growth means the amount by which the population increases each unit of time is proportional to its current size. That makes the population multiply by the same factor each period, producing exponential growth. For example, growing 5% per year turns 100 into 105, then 110.25, then 115.76, and so on, with the curve becoming steeper over time. In contrast, arithmetic (linear) growth adds a fixed number each period, giving a straight-line increase rather than a rising curve. Logistic growth rises quickly at first but slows as resources become limiting, eventually leveling off. So only exponential growth describes a constant percentage increase per unit time.

Constant percentage growth means the amount by which the population increases each unit of time is proportional to its current size. That makes the population multiply by the same factor each period, producing exponential growth. For example, growing 5% per year turns 100 into 105, then 110.25, then 115.76, and so on, with the curve becoming steeper over time.

In contrast, arithmetic (linear) growth adds a fixed number each period, giving a straight-line increase rather than a rising curve. Logistic growth rises quickly at first but slows as resources become limiting, eventually leveling off. So only exponential growth describes a constant percentage increase per unit time.