To find out how many hours it will take for the asteroid to hit Mars, we can use the formula:
\[ \text{Time} = \frac{\text{Distance}}{\text{Rate}} \]
Given:
- Distance = \(3.311 \times 10^8\) miles
- Rate = \(7.7 \times 10^4\) miles per hour
Now, we can substitute the values into the formula:
\[ \text{Time} = \frac{3.311 \times 10^8 \text{ miles}}{7.7 \times 10^4 \text{ miles per hour}} \]
Calculating this gives:
\[ \text{Time} = \frac{3.311}{7.7} \times \frac{10^8}{10^4} \]
First, calculate \(\frac{3.311}{7.7}\):
\[ \frac{3.311}{7.7} \approx 0.430 \]
Next, calculate \(\frac{10^8}{10^4} = 10^{8-4} = 10^4\).
Combining these results:
\[ \text{Time} \approx 0.430 \times 10^4 = 4.30 \times 10^3 \]
So, the time before the asteroid hits Mars is:
\[ \text{Time} = 4.30 \times 10^3 \text{ hours} \]
Thus, the asteroid will hit Mars in \( \boxed{4.30 \times 10^3} \) hours.
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