  We present measurements of the mean dense core lifetimes in numerical
simulations of magnetically supercritical, turbulent, isothermal molecular
clouds, in order to compare with observational determinations. "Prestellar"
lifetimes (given as a function of the mean density within the cores, which in
turn is determined by the density threshold n_thr used to define them) are
consistent with observationally reported values, ranging from a few to several
free-fall times. We also present estimates of the fraction of cores in the
"prestellar", "stellar'', and "failed" (those cores that redisperse back into
the environment) stages as a function of n_thr. The number ratios are measured
indirectly in the simulations due to their resolution limitations. Our approach
contains one free parameter, the lifetime of a protostellar object t_yso (Class
0 + Class I stages), which is outside the realm of the simulations. Assuming a
value t_yso = 0.46 Myr, we obtain number ratios of starless to stellar cores
ranging from 4-5 at n_thr = 1.5 x 10^4 cm^-3 to 1 at n_thr = 1.2 x 10^5 cm^-3,
again in good agreement with observational determinations. We also find that
the mass in the failed cores is comparable to that in stellar cores at n_thr =
1.5 x 10^4 cm^-3, but becomes negligible at n_thr = 1.2 x 10^5 cm^-3, in
agreement with recent observational suggestions that at the latter densities
the cores are in general gravitationally dominated. We conclude by noting that
the timescale for core contraction and collapse is virtually the same in the
subcritical, ambipolar diffusion-mediated model of star formation, in the model
of star formation in turbulent supercritical clouds, and in a model
intermediate between the previous two, for currently accepted values of the
clouds' magnetic criticality.
