document.write( "Question 13794: I'm not sure which number I should divide by.\r
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document.write( "One light-year is approximately 9.46x10^15 meters. Approximate the time in minutes for light to travel from the sun to Earth if that distance is approximately 1.50x10^11. \n" );
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Algebra.Com's Answer #6924 by longjonsilver(2297)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! The problem is that you have no speed quoted, just 2 lengths, so you either need to know the speed of light or work it out from the \"light year\" bit.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "By definition, light travels 9.46x10^15 m in 1 year, so\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "9.46x10^15m in 1 yr \n" ); document.write( "or 9.46x10^15m in 365 days (approx) \n" ); document.write( "or 9.46x10^15m in 8760 hours \n" ); document.write( "or 9.46x10^15m in 525600 minutes \n" ); document.write( "or 9.46x10^15/525600 in 1 minute \n" ); document.write( "--> 1.8x10^10 metres per minute\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "so, now we have speed=distance/time\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "so, 1.8x10^10 = (1.5x10^11)/time\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "--> 1.8x10^10*time = (1.5x10^11) \n" ); document.write( "--> time = (1.5x10^11)/(1.8x10^10) \n" ); document.write( "--> time = 8.33333 minutes\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "so it takes light about 8 minutes to travel from the Sun to the Earth.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "jon. \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " |