Maths & numbers

Half-life from two measurements calculator

Infer a half-life from two observations under a constant exponential decay model.

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How this calculation works

Infer a half-life from two observations under a constant exponential decay model.

THE FORMULAHalf-life = elapsed time × ln(2)/ln(start/end)

A worked example

A drop from 80 to 20 over six units of time represents two half-lives of three each.

Good to know

Use a positive declining quantity with a constant decay rate.

Read the result

Infer a half-life from two observations under a constant exponential decay model.

The primary result is labeled “Half-life”. Keep the input definitions in view when comparing this result with another method.

Try a related calculation

Use a positive declining quantity with a constant decay rate.

For a related exercise, try the quadratic equation solver.

A few questions, answered

How can I check the default inputs by hand?

A drop from 80 to 20 over six units of time represents two half-lives of three each.

Which rule does this calculator apply?

Half-life = elapsed time × ln(2)/ln(start/end)

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