The distance of the object to the lens can be found using the lens formula, which is: 1/f = 1/v - 1/u, Where:
f = focal length of the lens
v = distance of the virtual image from the lens
u = distance of the object from the lens (unknown)
Given: f = 5 cm
v = 12 cm, Let's plug in these values into the lens formula and solve for u:
1/5 = 1/12 - 1/u
To simplify the equation, we need to find the LCD (Least Common Denominator) of the fractions, which is 60. Multiplying all terms by 60:
12 = 5 * 60 - 60 * 5/u
12 = 300 - 300/u
Rearranging the equation:
300/u = 300 - 12
300/u = 288
To find u, we can cross-multiply:
300u = 288
Dividing both sides by 300:
u = 0.96 cm
Therefore, the distance of the object to the lens is approximately 0.96 cm.