SOLUTION: I am trying to the determine the half-life of an element using the following data: corn remaining / #of shakes 100 / 0

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Question 430169: I am trying to the determine the half-life of an element using the following data:
corn remaining / #of shakes
100 / 0
50 / 12
80 / 4
40 / 16
60 / 8
30 / 16
50 / 12
25 / 20


Answer by jsmallt9(3758) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The initial count (at 0) is 100. The count at 12 is 50. Since 50 is 1/2 of 100 it appears that the half-life would be 12 shakes.(What's a shake?)

But then the data says that at 20 shakes the count is 25. But 25 is 1/2 of 50. So 25 should happen a half-life after 50. So it should happen aother 12 shakes later, not 8 shakes later like that data shows. So the data is inconsistent.