Final answer:
At the speed of light, it would take a signal approximately 12.5 minutes to cover the average distance of 225 million kilometers from Earth to Mars.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student has asked how long it would take for a signal traveling at the speed of light to cover the average distance from Earth to Mars, which is about 225 million kilometers. To calculate this time, we use the formula:
Time = Distance / Speed
In this case, the signal is traveling at the speed of light, which is approximately 300,000 km/s. Therefore, the time taken for a signal to travel from Earth to Mars can be calculated as follows:
Time = 225,000,000 km / 300,000 km/s = 750 seconds
To convert seconds into minutes, we divide by 60 because there are 60 seconds in a minute:
Time in minutes = 750 seconds / 60 = 12.5 minutes
Therefore, the correct answer is C) 12.5 minutes.