114k views
0 votes
Anybody know the right answer?

Anybody know the right answer?-example-1
User Bbonev
by
7.5k points

1 Answer

6 votes

No units are shown on the angle, so we assume it is in radians. Then the distance from the sun to the star is

... distance = (1 AU)/tan(0.000302/2) ≈ 6,623 AU

_____

The tangent is the ratio of the opposite to adjacent sides of a right triangle. If we draw a line from the star to the sun, it bisects the angle and makes two right triangles. The distance of interest is the adjacent leg, and 1 AU is the opposite leg. Hence we have

... tan(0.000302/2) = (1 AU)/(distance)

Rearranging this equation gives the one above.

_____

For angles this small, the tangent is very nearly equal to the angle, so the distance is essentially (1 AU)/0.000151 ≈ 6623 AU

User Cerrone
by
8.0k points

No related questions found

Welcome to QAmmunity.org, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of our community.

9.4m questions

12.2m answers

Categories