Modeling with Exponential and Other Functions
Challenge:
According to legend, Sissa Ben Dahir, the Vizier of the court of King
Shirham of India, worked diligently and invented a new game that was
called Chess. The King decided to grant Sissa the reward of his choosing.
Sissa pondered carefully and requested the following from the King:
One grain of wheat on the first square of the chessboard,
two grains of wheat on the second square, four grains on
the third square, eight on the fourth square, and so on.
The King thought this was a very modest request and
said that he would grant the Vizier's request.
At right is a chessboard with 64 squares.
1. Make a table showing the
number of grains of wheat on
the first ten squares and the
total grains of wheat on
squares 1 through n, for
n = 1, 2, 3,..., 10.