A radioactive element decays according to the function $\backslash (\backslash$mathrm$\{$Q$\}=\backslash$mathrm$\{$Q$\}\_\{0\}$ e$^\{\backslash$mathrm$\{$rt$\}\}\backslash ),$ where $\backslash (\backslash$mathrm$\{$Q$\}\_\{0\}\backslash )$ is the amount of the substance at time $\backslash (\backslash$mathrm$\{$t$\}=0,\backslash$mathrm$\{$r$\}\backslash )$ is the continuous compound rate of decay, t is the time in years, and Q is the amount of the substance at time $\backslash ($ t $\backslash ).$ If the continuous compound rate of the element per year is $\backslash ($ r$=-0\mathrm{.}000228\backslash ),$ how long will it take a certain amount of this element to decay to half the original amount?

$($The period is the half$-$life of the substance.$)$

The half$-$life of the element is approximately years.

$($Do not round until the final answer. Then round to the nearest year as needed.$).$