Question

Jupiter’s average distance from the Sun is 7.8 x 10^8 kilometers. The ratio comparing Jupiter’s distance from the Sun to a meteorite’s distance from the sun is 3 x 10^-2. What is the meteorite’s distance from the sun?

Answer 1

Meteorite’s distance from the sun is
`2.6 * 10^(10)` kilometers

Solution:

Given that,

`\text{Jupiters average distance from the Sun } = 7.8 * 10^8 \text{ kilometer }`

Also, given that,

The ratio comparing Jupiter’s distance from the Sun to a meteorite’s distance from the sun is
`3 * 10^(-2)`

Which means,

`\frac{\text{Jupiters distance from the Sun}}{\text{meteorite’s distance from the sun}} = 3 * 10^(-2)`

Substitute the given value in above fraction,

`\frac{7.8 * 10^8}{\text{meteorite’s distance from the sun}} = 3 * 10^(-2)`

Solve for meteorite’s distance from the sun

`\text{Meteorites distance from the sun} = (7.8 * 10^8)/(3 * 10^(-2))\\\\\text{Meteorites distance from the sun} = (2.6 * 10^8)/(10^(-2))\\\\\text{Use the law of exponent }\\\\(a^m)/(a^n) = a^(m-n)\\\\\text{Meteorites distance from the sun} =2.6 * 10^(8-(-2))\\\\\text{Meteorites distance from the sun} = 2.6 * 10^(8+2)\\\\\text{Meteorites distance from the sun} =2.6 * 10^(10)\\\\`

Thus, meteorite’s distance from the sun is
`2.6 * 10^(10)` kilometers