Final answer:
To calculate the mass remaining after x hours for a substance decaying at a rate of 32% per hour, use the exponential decay function y = 5040(1 - 0.32)^x, where 5040 is the initial mass in grams.
Step-by-step explanation:
To create a function that finds y, the mass of the substance remaining after x hours, when it is decaying at a rate of 32% per hour, we can use the exponential decay formula:
y = P(1 - r)^t
Where:
- P is the initial mass of the substance,
- r is the rate of decay as a decimal,
- t is the time in hours.
In this case, P is 5040 grams, r is 0.32 (since 32% as a decimal is 0.32), and t will represent the variable x for hours.
Therefore, the function will be:
y = 5040(1 - 0.32)^x
This function can be used to calculate the remaining mass of the substance after any given number of hours.