A biologist observes that a certain bacterial colony triples every 4 hours and after 12 hours occupies 1 square centimeter. Assume that the colony obeys the population growth law. The area the colony occupied when first observed was: (a) 1/9 sq. cm (b) 1/81 sq. cm. (c) 1/36 sq. cm (d) 1/27 sq. cm. (e) None of the above.