52844811
A patient takes a \(20\,\text{mg}\) tablet once each day at the same time. During each day, the body eliminates \(30\%\) of the medication currently present.
a) Make a table of the amount in the body immediately after each dose for days \(1\) through \(5\). Before the first dose, the amount is \(0\,\text{mg}\).
b) On what day does the amount first exceed \(50\,\text{mg}\)?
c) Find the theoretical long-term amount in the body immediately after a dose.
Hints
- At each step, first keep \(70\%\) of the previous amount, then add the new dose.
- Compare the table values with \(50\,\text{mg}\).
- At equilibrium, the amount after one full step is unchanged.
Solution
1. If \(x_n\) is the amount immediately after the dose on day \(n\), then \(x_n=0.7x_{n-1}+20\), with \(x_0=0\).
2. \(x_1=20\), \(x_2=0.7\cdot20+20=34\), \(x_3=0.7\cdot34+20=43.8\), \(x_4=0.7\cdot43.8+20=50.66\), and \(x_5=0.7\cdot50.66+20=55.462\), all in milligrams.
3. The amount first exceeds \(50\,\text{mg}\) on day \(4\).
4. At equilibrium, \(L=0.7L+20\). Thus \(0.3L=20\), so \(L=\frac{200}{3}\approx66.67\,\text{mg}\).
Answer
a)
<table>
<tr>
<th>Day</th>
<th>Amount after dose (mg)</th>
</tr>
<tr><td>\(1\)</td><td>\(20\)</td></tr>
<tr><td>\(2\)</td><td>\(34\)</td></tr>
<tr><td>\(3\)</td><td>\(43.8\)</td></tr>
<tr><td>\(4\)</td><td>\(50.66\)</td></tr>
<tr><td>\(5\)</td><td>\(55.462\)</td></tr>
</table>
b) Day \(4\)
c) \(\frac{200}{3}\,\text{mg}\approx66.67\,\text{mg}\)
