Question

the force of gravity varies inversely as the square of the distance between the centers of the two masses. If an object weighs 500 pounds at a distance of 12,000 miles from the center of the earth, at what distance will the weight be 50 pounds

Answer 1

mass = k/d^2
when mass = 500, d = 12000
500 = k/12000^2
k = 500(12000)^2

so
50 = 500(12000)^2 /d^2

50 d^2 = 500(12000)^2
d^2 = 10(12000)^2
d = 12000√10 miles