Calculus BC question!

Test Preparation AP Test Preparation
1

<p>Probably a stupid question but anyways:</p>

<p>My textbook reads that the diffEQ for rate of change of a population in logistic growth is :</p>

<p>ky(1 - y/L)</p>

<p>where L is the carrying capacity and k is the constant.</p>

<p>My review book says (petersons, very good one, latest edition) that the same equation is</p>

<p>ky(L - y)</p>

<p>where L is the carrying capacity and k is the constant.</p>

<p>We just had an exam, and i used my review books equation for this and he marked my work wrong .....</p>

<p>Is the review book wrong? Or are these equations the same thing somehow?</p>

2

<p>The equations are not equivalent.</p>

<p>However, ky(L-y)/L would be equivalent to ky(1 - y/L), so I suspect it's a typographical error in the review book, as the textbook equation is correct.</p>

3

<p>Yeah, the math prof is right. (1-y/L) does equal (L-Y)/L using common denominators, but not just (L-Y).</p>