138k views
5 votes
The amount of radioactive material in an ore sample is given by the function

A(t) = 100(4)-0.5t
where A(t) is the amount present, in grams, in the sample t months after the initial
measurement.

User Letsc
by
7.9k points

1 Answer

3 votes

The amount of radioactive material present at the initial measurement is 100 grams.

To find the amount of radioactive material present at the initial measurement (t=0), you can simply substitute t=0 into the given exponential function A(t):

A(0)=100⋅(4.3)^(−0.5 × 0)

Anything raised to the power of 0 is 1, so:

A(0)=100 × 4.3^0 = 100 ×1= 100 grams

Therefore, the amount of radioactive material present at the initial measurement is 100 grams.

Question

The amount of radioactive material in an ore sample is given by the exponential function A(t)=100(4.3)^{-0.5 t where A(t) is the amount present, in grams, of the sample t months after the initial measurement.

How much radioactive material was present at the initial measurement? (Hint: t=0 .)

User Chiranjib
by
8.3k points