You're sitting in math class, minding your own business, when in walks a Bill Gates kind of guy ­ the real success story of your school. He's made it big, and now he has a job offer for you.

He doesn't give too many details, mumbles something about the possibility of danger. He's going to need you for 30 days, and you'll have to miss school. (Won't that just be too awful?) And you've got to make sure your passport's current. (Get real, Bill, this ain't Paris). But do you ever sit up at the next thing he says.

You'll have your choice of two payment options:

1.One cent on the first day, two cents on the second day, and double your salary every day thereafter for the thirty days; or

2.Exactly $1,000,000. (That's one million dollars!)

You jump up out of your seat at that. You've got your man/woman, Bill, right here. I'll take that million. I'm out of here. And off you go on this dangerous million-dollar mission.

How smart were you? Did you make the best choice? Sounds like it at first, but before we decide for sure, let's investigate the first payment option.

Now calculate the same values for the rest of the mission...

So, what do you conclude about your decision???

Further Exploration Questions to Think About...

1.How long would it take to make $10 million dollars if your pay was tripling every day instead of doubling? What would be the formula you could use to get this answer? (Hint: How would you adjust the formula found on this page?)

2.Imagine the pay isn't doubled, but it's 1 and 1/2 times each previous day's pay (1.5 times). Or maybe it's 1 and 1/3 times (1.333... times). Now here's the question. At what rate should you say, no, I'll take the million. In other words, at what rate would the 30 days Total Pay be less than $1 million?