Cooling Coffee Temperature Model

00:00 14 marks

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A cup of hot coffee is placed on a table to cool. Its temperature, \(T\) (°C), after \(t\) minutes is modelled by the function:

\(T(t) = 65e^{-0.08t} + 20\), for \(t \geq 0\).

(a) Write down the initial temperature of the coffee. [1]
(b) Find the temperature of the coffee after 10 minutes. [2]
(c) Find the time it takes for the coffee to cool down to 40 °C. [3]
(d) Write down the temperature of the room, according to the model. Justify your answer. [2]
(e) Find the rate at which the coffee is cooling after 5 minutes. [3]
(f) Find \(T'(t)\). [2]
(g) Explain what \(T'(t)\) represents in the context of this model. [1]

Part a

2 minutes 1 marks

Question

Write down the initial temperature of the coffee. [1]



Hint Hint

Hint

Substitute t=0 into the function: T(0)=65e^(0)+20.

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Complete Answer

T(0) = 85 °C

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Part b

2 minutes 2 marks

Question

Find the temperature of the coffee after 10 minutes. [2]



Hint Hint

Hint

Substitute t=10 into the model and calculate the exponential term.

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Complete Answer

T(10) ≈ 49.2 °C

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Part c

3 minutes 3 marks

Question

Find the time it takes for the coffee to cool down to 40 °C. [3]



Hint Hint

Hint

Set T(t)=40, subtract 20, then solve 65e^(-0.08t)=20 by taking logarithms.

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Complete Answer

t ≈ 14.7 minutes

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Part d

2 minutes 2 marks

Question

Write down the temperature of the room, according to the model. Justify your answer. [2]



Hint Hint

Hint

Examine the behavior of T(t) as t becomes very large.

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Complete Answer

The room temperature is 20 °C.

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Part e

3 minutes 3 marks

Question

Find the rate at which the coffee is cooling after 5 minutes. [3]



Hint Hint

Hint

Differentiate T(t) to get T'(t) and evaluate at t=5.

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Complete Answer

T'(5) ≈ -3.49 °C/min

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Part f

2 minutes 2 marks

Question

Find \(T'(t)\). [2]



Hint Hint

Hint

Differentiate the given function using the chain rule.

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Complete Answer

\(T'(t) = -5.2e^{-0.08t}\)

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Part g

1 minutes 1 marks

Question

Explain what \(T'(t)\) represents in the context of this model. [1]



Hint Hint

Hint

Interpret the derivative in real-world terms.

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Complete Answer

It represents the instantaneous rate of change of the coffee’s temperature (°C/min), i.e. how quickly it is cooling.

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