Chapter 17.5, Problem 25E

Life Span As we saw in Exercise 62 of Section 17.2, researchers have estimated the maximum life span (in years) for various species of mammals according to the formula

     $L\left(E,P\right)=23E^{0.6}{P}^{-0.267},$

 where E is the average brain mass and P is the average body mass (both in g). Consider humans, with E = 14,100 g and P = 68,700 g. Find the approximate change in life span if the brain mass increases to 14,300 g and the body mass decreases to 68,400 g. Then calculate the actual change in life span and compare. Source: The Quarterly Review of Biology.

62.    Life Span As we saw in the previous section, researchers have estimated the maximum life span (in years) for various species of mammals according to the formula

  $L\left(E,P\right)=23\text{}{E}^{0.6}{P}^{-0.267},$

 where E is the average brain mass and P is the average body mass (both in g). Find the approximate change in life span under the following conditions. Then calculate the actual change in life span and compare. Source: The Quarterly Review of Biology.

 (a)    The brain mass stays at 7.35 g, while the body mass goes from 150 g to 151 g.

 (b)    The body mass stays at 68,700g, while the brain mass goes from 14,100 g to 14,101 g.