Question

A statue of zeus in greece is made of gold and ivory. the ivory was found to have lost 25% of its carbon-14. using the formula for carbon-14 dating p=p0e^-0.00012t, determine the age of the statue.

Answer 1

P/P0 = e^(-0.00012t) = 75% =0.75
-0.00012t = ln(0.75)
t = ln(0.75) / (-0.00012) = 2397 years.
This assumes we know P0 (the original amount of carbon-14 in the ivory) and that the only loss is due to radioactive decay.