Thread: 9th Grade Problem Solving Question

I need help with a homework question I was given. I have no idea if I’m meant to use a graph, equation or something else.

I have to find the age (in carbon-14 half lives) of a sample with a rate of disintegration of C-14 of .11 disintegrations/min/gram.



Basically I have to find x when y is .11


Half Life (x) Disintegration rate (y)
0................... 16
1................... 8
2................... 4
3................... 2
4................... 1
5................... 0.5
6................... 0.25
7................... 0.125
8................... 0.0625


(Note 1 C-14 Half-Life = 5730 Years before present)

Originally Posted by asaver

I need help with a homework question I was given. I have no idea if I’m meant to use a graph, equation or something else.

I have to find the age (in carbon-14 half lives) of a sample with a rate of disintegration of C-14 of .11 disintegrations/min/gram.



Basically I have to find x when y is .11


Half Life (x) Disintegration rate (y)
0................... 16
1................... 8
2................... 4
3................... 2
4................... 1
5................... 0.5
6................... 0.25
7................... 0.125
8................... 0.0625



(Note 1 C-14 Half-Life = 5730 Years before present)

Hi ..

You can look at its pattern





y=2 to the power of 4 minus its 'x' .



so when y is 0.11 ,

Then calculate

Can you continue ?

x = 4 - .11/2
idk
???

Originally Posted by asaver

x = 4 - .11/2
idk
???

i don understand what you did ..