Tribble Math

[Rusvul]

Tribbles are cute little fluffballs from Star Trek. They're animals, and they make cute little cooing noises that soothe humans.

But they're extremely dangerous.

Tribbles are, as far as I know, both male and female. A tribble is born pregnant, and after three days gives birth to a litter of ten tribbles, on average, who, in turn, are all pregnant. After a tribble has given birth to its initial litter, it then mates with another tribble (Most likely of its own litter) and they both produce another litter. So they multiply EXTREMELY quickly.

1 tribble over 3 days means 11 tribbles. 11 tribbles over 3 days means 121. Et cetera.

So here's my question:

If on New Year's Day I had a single, newborn tribble, how many tribbles would I have by New Year's Day the next year?


Exponential tribble growth. Evil.

[Faiyloe]

Your explanation is close but not exact. Tribbles are bisexual and they reproduce at will. Meaning they do not need a mate.
One tribbel with an average litter of ten producing a new litter every 12 hours. Over the course of three days you would have 1,771,561... according to Spock.  And yes I looked that up... You do the math.

[The Mask]

Over 9000!!!!!!

[Faiyloe]

Oh a lot more than that. Way more than that. No, the earth would be drowning in tribbles at that point.

[Rusvul]

Your explanation is close but not exact. Tribbles are bisexual and they reproduce at will. Meaning they do not need a mate.
One tribbel with an average litter of ten producing a new litter every 12 hours. Over the course of three days you would have 1,771,561... according to Spock.  And yes I looked that up... You do the math.

Did you remember the 1,771,561 from memory? Or did you have to look that up?

[Morgazath]

Over 9000!!!!!!

Dragonball Z.

[Faiyloe]

Your explanation is close but not exact. Tribbles are bisexual and they reproduce at will. Meaning they do not need a mate.
One tribbel with an average litter of ten producing a new litter every 12 hours. Over the course of three days you would have 1,771,561... according to Spock.  And yes I looked that up... You do the math.

Did you remember the 1,771,561 from memory? Or did you have to look that up?

Your explanation is close but not exact. Tribbles are bisexual and they reproduce at will. Meaning they do not need a mate.
One tribbel with an average litter of ten producing a new litter every 12 hours. Over the course of three days you would have 1,771,561... according to Spock.  And yes I looked that up... You do the math.

^^^^ Says it all right there... Netflix is awesome.   

[Rusvul]

Yes, yes it is...

According to this chart, after 72 hours of unlimited food and one tribble... You'd have roughly 2,000,000 tribbles. Two MILLION! After 72 hours.

You know, these guys might have a practical application...

SOLVE WORLD HUNGERRRRRR!

[Faiyloe]

  !!!!!!!!  You are heartless! 

[Izeroth]

 My solution for tribble infested worlds is simple: nuke them from orbit, multiple times if need be.

[BadgerLordFiredrake]

As a biochemist...

Does it matter?  I'll just make a tribble-targeting virus :3

[Faiyloe]

Um the question was not how to get rid of them but how many of them would there be?  And Russ even if eating them was an option at the rate that they reproduce there would be more of them then we could eat.

[The Mask]

5.9536e+16 That's how many Tribbles you get according to the 72 Hour logic.