The half-life of palladium-100 is 4 days. after 20 days a sample of palladium-100 has been reduced to a mass of 5 mg.
what was the initial mass (in mg) of the sample?
what is the mass 6 weeks after the start?

{x = -1/2 ,   y = -1

step-by-step explanation:

solve the following system:

{2 x + y = -2

{10 x - 3 y = -2

in the first equation, look to solve for y:

{2 x + y = -2

{10 x - 3 y = -2

subtract 2 x from both sides:

{y = -2 x - 2

{10 x - 3 y = -2

substitute y = -2 x - 2 into the second equation:

{y = -2 x - 2

{10 x - 3 (-2 x - 2) = -2

10 x - 3 (-2 x - 2) = (6 x + 6) + 10 x = 16 x + 6:

{y = -2 x - 2

{16 x + 6 = -2

in the second equation, look to solve for x:

{y = -2 x - 2

{16 x + 6 = -2

subtract 6 from both sides:

{y = -2 x - 2

{16 x = -8

divide both sides by 16:

{y = -2 x - 2

{x = -1/2

substitute x = -1/2 into the first equation:

{y = -1

{x = -1/2

collect results in alphabetical order:

answer:   {x = -1/2 ,   y = -1