The hourly percentage increase in number of bees in a colony increases by 10 percentage points every hour. In the first hour, the increase in number of bees is 20%. Find the effective increase in number of bees in 2nd hour, if there are 1248 more bees in the third hour when compared to second hour?

let x be initial no. of bees

after 3 hours no. of bees will be= x*1.2*1.3*1.4

1248 more in third hour as compared to second

thus

x*1.2*1.3*1.4 - x*1.2*1.3=1248

x= 2000

1 hour - 2000*1.2 = 2400

2 hour - 2400*1.3 = 3120

effective increase in second hour= 3120-2400= 720

let x be the initial number of bees. after 3 hours the number of bees will be x*1.2*1.3*1.4

number of bees after 2 hours will be x*1.2*1.3

the increase in the 3rd hour will be x*1.2*1.3*0.4=1248

x=1248/0.144

after 1 hour no.of bees= 10400

increase in no.of bees in 2 hour =10400*(1.3-1)=3120