E. coli numbers

[pfdunlop]

Hi, I am studying rDNA for an exam and am probably procrastinating (but not really as I am looking at insulin production in E. coli).
If you start off with one cell, and it divides every 30 minutes, how many will u have after 24 hours.
I thought 1 - becomes 2, then 2 doubles every 30 minutes (48 times in 24 hours minus the first time, so 47). So it would just be 2^47 = 140737488355328 or 1.4 x 10^14. Is that right? I know its going to be a lot of cells, but this many.
Just for my own interest,

Cheers

[MrMistery]

that seems right to me.

[pfdunlop]

Hey cheers. Procrastination over. For now anyway.
Thanks

[mayoorraj]

this is very interesting n there is a simple logic here,the cells dividing at the rate u mentioned will reach thousand times the weight of earth in 24 hrs which actually will not happen n not possible too , and such a growth takes place only during exponantial phase of growth as soon as nutrients become limiting the cells will enter into stationary phase thats y bacterial growth curve r sigmoid. So here u will not get the no of cells u hav calculated

[Homeostasis]

this is very interesting n there is a simple logic here,the cells dividing at the rate u mentioned will reach thousand times the weight of earth in 24 hrs which actually will not happen n not possible too , and such a growth takes place only during exponantial phase of growth as soon as nutrients become limiting the cells will enter into stationary phase thats y bacterial growth curve r sigmoid. So here u will not get the no of cells u hav calculated

you are just being lazy.
you would have to double 48 times
10=512
20=524288
30=536870912
40=549755813888
48=140737488355328 <<< final

unless you are supposed to square it each time.... then I would need a more powerful brain