Exponential growth

(inspired by Len Kozhukh)

We teach our children arithmetics. If you have 5 dollars and then get another one, how much will you have?

As we stress so much on adding numbers children get used to thinking incrementally.

This is the age of exponential growth:

In technology, the processing power doubles approximately every two years

In biology, the organisms multiply exponentially

In economics, the market grows exponentially

In social networks, the information is spread exponentially

Sometimes logarithmic scale is the only visual way to compare information,

such as Richter's earthquake magnitude scale, or the diagram of observable universe (see at the bottom)

Why not teach our children exponential growth since the young age?

Games:

Race. Once car moves by 10. The other car starts moves by 1 step, then doubles its speed. See how fast the second car catches up!

Not only it is about understanding multiplication, it's also about changing the mindset:

If it takes me an hour to do the work, what would it take to spend twice as little and do the same amount of work?

Money. If I get 10% return yearly. What will I get in 10/20/30 years?

Viral distribution: what idea can I come up with that if I tell 10 of my friends, each one would tell 10 others? And how many people learn about my idea?