Homework Help: Math

Posted by Sam on Thursday, September 20, 2012 at 12:32pm.

Can You help me with this question?

The distance from the earth to the sun is about 1.5 X 10^8 km, while the distance from the earth to the moon is about 3.8 X 10^5 km. If a scale model of the solar system is constructed so that the distance from the Earth to the Sun is 100 meters, what will be the distance from the Earth to the Moon? Express your answer in meters.

Math - Steve, Thursday, September 20, 2012 at 12:48pm
1.5*10^8/3.8*10^5 = 100/x

394 = 100/x
x = .253m
Math - Sam, Thursday, September 20, 2012 at 12:58pm
How did you get .253m? Wouldn't you multiply by 100?
Math - Steve, Thursday, September 20, 2012 at 2:13pm
if 394 = 100/x, x = 100/394
Math - Steve, Thursday, September 20, 2012 at 2:14pm
besides, if the sun is 100m away, would you not expect the moon to be a lot closer?
Math - bobpursley, Thursday, September 20, 2012 at 2:40pm
an interesting variation of this, in which I have had students actually do this outside, is to determine the scale distance from Earth to Pluto. As I recall, and you can work it out, it is about 4000 meters, about 2.5 miles.
Math - Steve, Thursday, September 20, 2012 at 3:14pm
There is a model of the solar system in Peoria, IL and nearby towns. Discover magazine did a nice article on it a while back.

discovermagazine.com/1995/mar/theplanetsofpeor482

If you're ever visiting there, give it a look.
Math - Sam, Thursday, September 20, 2012 at 5:17pm
Thank you! That helped.

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