x bacteria would become 2x in 10 mins, which would become 4x in the next 10 (total 20 mins)...
So in 60 mins x becomes 2^6 times into x

Therefore Answer is C, (2^6)(10^5)

I did this problem by noticing a pattern. Since the population doubles every 10 minutes, basically all we are doing is doubling our coefficient in front of 10^5. It starts out at (1)10^5 and after 10 minutes it is (2)10^5 and at 20 its (4)10^5. I noticed every 10 minutes we are increasing our power of 2.

An hour is 60 minutes, so the bacteria will double 6 times. This means that our coefficient will end up being 2^6. Looking at the answer choices, choice (C), (2^6)(10^5) is correct.

Answer = C) (2^6)(10^5)

Initial value \(= 10^5\)

Interval = 10 Minutes

Intervals in 60 Minutes \(= \frac{60}{10} = 6\)

In one hour, value \(= 2^6 * 10^5\)

Present population: 10^5
60 mins will have 6 intervals of 10 mins --> so the population will get doubled 6 times in 1hr --> 2*2*2*2*2*2*10^5 -->2^6*10^5

Illustration:
Present - 10^5
after 10 mins - 2*10^5
after 20 mins - 2(2*10^5) = 2^2*10^5
after 30 mins - 2*(2(2*10^5)) = 2^3*10^5
.
.
.
after 60 mins - 2^6*10^5

Ans. C) (2^6)(10^5)
_________________

The correct answer is C.
_________________

Similar questions to practice:
it-takes-30-days-to-fill-a-laboratory-dish-with-bacteria-140269.html
a-certain-culture-of-bacteria-quadruples-every-hour-if-a-52258.html
if-a-certain-culture-of-bacteria-increases-by-a-constant-158863.html
a-certain-bacteria-colony-doubles-in-size-every-day-for-144013.html
a-strain-of-bacteria-multiplies-such-that-the-ratio-of-its-p-90600.html
the-population-of-locusts-in-a-certain-swarm-doubles-every-90353.html
the-number-of-water-lilies-on-a-certain-lake-doubles-every-142858.html
during-an-experiment-the-growth-rate-of-a-bacteria-colony-177023.html
the-population-of-a-bacteria-culture-doubles-every-2-minutes-167378.html
wes-works-at-a-science-lab-that-conducts-experiments-on-bacteria-the-186310.html
_________________

Seems like a rip off of this OG10 question by whoever "created" this question :-/

https://gmatclub.com/forum/a-certain-po ... 65536.html
_________________