Edexcel C34 2015 June — Question 6

Exam BoardEdexcel
ModuleC34 (Core Mathematics 3 & 4)
Year2015
SessionJune
TopicExponential Functions

6. The mass, \(m\) grams, of a radioactive substance \(t\) years after first being observed, is modelled by the equation $$m = 25 \mathrm { e } ^ { 1 - k t }$$ where \(k\) is a positive constant.
  1. State the value of \(m\) when the radioactive substance was first observed. Given that the mass is 50 grams, 10 years after first being observed,
  2. show that \(k = \frac { 1 } { 10 } \ln \left( \frac { 1 } { 2 } \mathrm { e } \right)\)
  3. Find the value of \(t\) when \(m = 20\), giving your answer to the nearest year.