Half-Life #11

Question

Suppose that a severe virus is impacting a bee colony and the population of bees has a half-life of 5 days.

 

What percentage of the original bee colony would be surviving after 15 days of decay?

Answer 1

Using just reasoning, after five days, 1/2 remain, after to days 1/4 remain, after fifteen days 1/8 remain.

 

Using an exponential equation.

 

0.5a = ab⁵

0.5 = b⁵

0.5^1/5 = a

 

A = a(0.5^1/5)¹⁵

A = a(0.5)³

A = a(0.125)