A biologist puts a certain number of DNA strands into a machine, which uses a process called PCR cycling. Each PCR cycle, the machine creates a copy of every DNA strand. All of the DNA strands (the original DNA strands and their copies) remain together in the machine, ready for more PCR cycles. If a biologist puts 1 thousand DNA strands into the machine and runs it for 4 cycles, how many DNA strands will be in the machine at the end of the process, in thousands?

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PCR Cycling Process: Understand the process of PCR cycling. In PCR cycling, each DNA strand is duplicated, so the number of DNA strands doubles with each cycle.First Cycle Calculation: Calculate the number of DNA strands after the first cycle. If we start with 1 thousand DNA strands, after one cycle, we will have 1 thousand * 2 = 2 thousand DNA strands.Second Cycle Calculation: Calculate the number of DNA strands after the second cycle. After the second cycle, the number of DNA strands will double again. So, 2 thousand * 2 = 4 thousand DNA strands.Third Cycle Calculation: Calculate the number of DNA strands after the third cycle. After the third cycle, the number of DNA strands will double once more. So, 4 thousand * 2 = 8 thousand DNA strands.Fourth Cycle Calculation: Calculate the number of DNA strands after the fourth cycle. After the fourth cycle, the number of DNA strands will double yet again. So, 8 thousand * 2 = 16 thousand DNA strands.

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