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3 votes
An element with a mass of 550 grams decays by 18.8% per minute. To the nearest minute, how long will it be until there are 60 grams of the element remaining

2 Answers

4 votes

Answer:

x\approx 11

x≈11

User Shawn Sherwood
by
4.5k points
0 votes

Answer: 11

Explanation:

Exponential Functions:

y=ab^x

y=ab

x

a=\text{starting value = }550

a=starting value = 550

r=\text{rate = }18.8\% = 0.188

r=rate = 18.8%=0.188

\text{Exponential Decay:}

Exponential Decay:

b=1-r=1-0.188=0.812

b=1−r=1−0.188=0.812

\text{Write Exponential Function:}

Write Exponential Function:

y=550(0.812)^x

y=550(0.812)

x

Put it all together

\text{Plug in y-value:}

Plug in y-value:

60=550(0.812)^x

60=550(0.812)

x

\frac{60}{550}=\frac{550(0.812)^x}{550}

550

60

=

550

550(0.812)

x

Divide both sides by 550

0.109091=0.812^x

0.109091=0.812

x

\log 0.109091=\log 0.812^x

log0.109091=log0.812

x

Take the log of both sides

\log 0.109091=x\log 0.812

log0.109091=xlog0.812

use power rule to bring x to the front

\frac{\log 0.109091}{\log 0.812}=\frac{x\log 0.812}{\log 0.812}

log0.812

log0.109091

=

log0.812

xlog0.812

Divide both sides by log(0.812)

10.638757=x

10.638757=x

x\approx 11

x≈11

User Sam Starling
by
5.3k points
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