Question

Radio signals travel at a rate of 3 × 108 meters per second. How many seconds will it take for a radio signal to travel from a satellite to the surface of the Earth if the satellite is orbiting at a height of 3.6 × 107 meters?

Answer 1

The correct answer is 0.12 seconds.

Explanation:

To solve this problem, you can to use the rule of three.

3X10⁸ meters → 1 sec.

3.6x10⁷ meters → x sec.

Now, you have to multiply 3.6x10⁷ meters by 1 sec, then divide by 3x10⁸ meters:

`x = (3.6\cdot10^7 m * 1s )/(3\cdot10^8m)`

// m divided by m is 1, rewrite the numbers.

`x = (36000000s)/(300000000)`

//cancel the zeros.

`x = (36s )/(300) = 0.12s`

Answer 2

`(3.6\cdot 10^(7)\,m)/(3\cdot 10^(8)\,m/s)=0.12\,s`

It takes 0.12 seconds for the radio signal to reach the surface from the satellite.