Question

Mercury is 0.39 AU from the sun. What is its distance from the sun in kilometers?

Answer 1

The distance between the sun and Mercury is 58 343 220 km.

Explanation:

1 AU/149,598,000 kilometers = 0.39 AU/x

1x = (149,598,000)(0.39)

x = 58 343 220

Answer 2

For this case we have by definition that an Astronomical Unit (AU) equals 149,598,000 kilometers.

We propose a rule of three to find the distance of Mercury to the sun in kilometers.

1 AU -------------> 149,598,000 km

0.39 AU ---------> x

Where "x" represents the distance in kilometers:

`x = \frac {0.39 * 149,598,000} {1}\\x = 58,343,220`

Answer:

58,343,220 km