Scientific Notation Unit Test

Question

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Question
Light travels at an approximate rate of 1.9×105 mi./sec. There are about 3.2×107 seconds in a year. About how many miles does light travel in a year? Write the answer in scientific notation. Express the answer to the exact decimal place.(1 point)
miles

Answer 1

To find the number of miles light travels in a year, we need to multiply the speed of light by the number of seconds in a year.

Speed of light = 1.9 × 10^5 mi./sec
Seconds in a year = 3.2 × 10^7 seconds

To find the total distance traveled in a year, we multiply these two values:

Distance = Speed × Time

Distance = 1.9 × 10^5 mi./sec × 3.2 × 10^7 seconds

Using the rules of exponentiation, we can add the exponents together:

Distance = 1.9 × 3.2 × 10^5 × 10^7 mi.

We can multiply the coefficients:

Distance = 6.08 × 10^5 × 10^7 mi.

Using the rule for multiplying numbers in scientific notation, we add the exponents:

Distance = 6.08 × 10^(5+7) mi.

Simplifying the exponent, we get:

Distance = 6.08 × 10^12 mi.

Therefore, light travels approximately 6.08 × 10^12 miles in a year.