This activity looks at radioactive decay and how it is used in particular for carbon-dating archaeological remains.
Using TI-Nspire can help to make this topic much more accessible to younger students. For example, they can use ?Graph trace? to find useful information without needing to worry about the meaning of ?exponential? or interpreting the equation shown.
There are possibilities for extending the activity to look at more advanced mathematics such as the form of the exponential regression function and the theory behind exponential decay, including topics such as integration, exponential functions and logarithms.
Background scientific and theoretical information and is included in the teachers? notes.