An asteroid is heading towards mars at a rate of 7.7 x 10^4 mi./hr. if the asteroid is 3.311 x 10^8 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.
To find the time it will take for the asteroid to reach Mars, we need to divide the distance by the rate at which it is moving:
Time = Distance / Rate
Time = (3.311 x 10^8 miles) / (7.7 x 10^4 mi./hr)
To divide numbers in scientific notation, we divide the coefficients and subtract the exponents:
Time = (3.311 / 7.7) x 10^(8-4)
Time = 0.429 x 10^4
Time in scientific notation, expressed to the exact decimal place, is approximately 4.29 x 10^3 hours.