To find the number of hours it will take for the asteroid to hit Mars, we need to divide the distance between the asteroid and Mars by the rate at which it is traveling towards Mars:
Time = Distance / Rate
Time = (3.311×10^8 miles) / (7.7×10^4 mi./hr)
To divide these numbers in scientific notation, we can subtract the exponents of 10 and divide the coefficients:
Time = (3.311/7.7)×(10^8/10^4) hours
Simplifying, we have:
Time = 0.42948052×10^4 hours
Since we want the answer in scientific notation, we need to convert this to a single-digit coefficient:
Time = 4.2948052×10^3 hours
Therefore, it will take approximately 4.2948052×10^3 hours for the asteroid to hit Mars.
An asteroid is heading toward Mars at the rate of 7.7×104 mi./hr. If the asteroid is 3.311×108 miles away from Mars, how many hours will it be before it hits Mars? Write the answer in scientific notation, expressed to the exact decimal place.
1 answer