Beam of Light Speed

[mathdad]

How long does it take a beam of light to reach Earth from the Sun when the Sun is 93, 000, 000 miles from Earth? Express your answer in seconds, using scientific notation.

One mile has 5280 feet.
Must I divide 93,000,000 by 5280 feet and convert to scientific notation?

 

[MarkFL]

You want:

[MATH]t=\frac{d}{v}=\frac{9.3\times10^7\text{ mi}}{1.86\times10^5\dfrac{\text{mi}}{\text{s}}}=?[/MATH]

 

[mathdad]

You want:

[MATH]t=\frac{d}{v}=\frac{9.3\times10^7\text{ mi}}{1.86\times10^5\dfrac{\text{mi}}{\text{s}}}=?[/MATH]

How did you come up with that set up? Explain the numerator and denominator. Explain the numbers in your fraction.

 

[mathdad]

You want:

[MATH]t=\frac{d}{v}=\frac{9.3\times10^7\text{ mi}}{1.86\times10^5\dfrac{\text{mi}}{\text{s}}}=?[/MATH]

What about time = distance/rate?

Light travels at a rate of 186,000 miles per second.

t = 93,000,000/186, 000

t = 500 seconds

Yes?

 

[MarkFL]

That's what I used, the relationship between distance, speed and time. I figured that was self-explanatory.

I set it up so that you could easily express the answer in scientific notation as directed:

[MATH]t=5\times10^2\text{ s}[/MATH]

 

[mathdad]

That's what I used, the relationship between distance, speed and time. I figured that was self-explanatory.

I set it up so that you could easily express the answer in scientific notation as directed:

[MATH]t=5\times10^2\text{ s}[/MATH]

What can I say? You are the best! No criticizing. No back talk. Just math in every which way.

 

[MarkFL]

I've been known to backtalk. I get most of that out of my system on another site (non-math).