document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1192688>Question 1192688</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Skeletal remains had lost 85% of the C-14 they originally contained. Determine the approximate age (in years) of the bones. (Assume the half life of carbon-14 is 5730 years. Round your answer to the nearest whole number.)<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #824589 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><B>greenestamps(13216)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=greenestamps><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=824589\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "The fraction of the original amount remaining is (1/2)^n, where n is the number of half lives.  Since 85% has been lost, 15% remains.  So<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%281%2F2%29%5En=0.15 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%281%2F2%29%5En=0.15\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=n%2Alog%281%2F2%29=log%280.15%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"n%2Alog%281%2F2%29=log%280.15%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=n=log%280.15%29%2Flog%281%2F2%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"n=log%280.15%29%2Flog%281%2F2%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=n=2.737 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"n=2.737\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to 3 decimal places<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "The age of the remains is 2.737 half lives:<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=2.737%285730%29=15683 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"2.737%285730%29=15683\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to the nearest year.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Note rounding the age to the nearest whole number is not really reasonable, because radioactive decay is a statistical process which is only APPROXIMATELY exponential.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "ANSWER (according to the instructions): 15683 years<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "A more correct answer: ABOUT 15700 years<br><BR>\n" );
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