standard_description: Rewrite simple rational expressions in different forms; write a(x)/b(x) in the form q(x) + r(x)/b(x), where a(x), b(x), q(x), and r(x) are polynomials with the degree of r(x) less than the degree of b(x), using inspection, long division, or, for the more complicated examples, a computer algebra system.
problem_activity: Potassium-40 has a half-life of
$${1.28\times 10^9}$$
years, which means that after that many years, half of a sample has decayed into a different isotope of carbon. If a sample began with
$${115}$$
grams of potassium-40
$${30,000,000}$$
years ago, how much is left today? How long will it be until there are only
$${50}$$
grams remaining?


aligns: no