To find the time in hours it will take for the asteroid to hit Mars, you can use the formula:
\[ \text{Time} = \frac{\text{Distance}}{\text{Speed}} \]
Given:
- Distance = \(3.311 \times 10^8\) miles
- Speed = \(7.7 \times 10^4\) mi/hr
Now, substitute the values into the formula:
\[ \text{Time} = \frac{3.311 \times 10^8 \text{ miles}}{7.7 \times 10^4 \text{ mi/hr}} \]
Calculating the division of the coefficients:
\[ \frac{3.311}{7.7} \approx 0.430 \]
Now, divide the powers of ten:
\[ \frac{10^8}{10^4} = 10^{8-4} = 10^4 \]
So, we have:
\[ \text{Time} \approx 0.430 \times 10^4 = 4.30 \times 10^3 \text{ hours} \]
Therefore, the time before the asteroid hits Mars is:
\[ \boxed{4.30 \times 10^3 \text{ hours}} \]
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