© 1999 T
EXAS
I
NSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
TI
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34
Û
: A Guide for Teachers
9
Star Voyage—
Scientific Notation
Name ___________________________
Date
___________________________
Problem
You are a captain of a starship. You have been assigned to go to Alpha
Centauri and you have 5 years to get there. The distance from the Sun to Alpha
Centauri is 2.5 x 10
13
miles. The distance from the Earth to the Sun is
approximately 9.3 x 10
7
miles. Your ship can travel at the speed of light. You
know that light can travel a distance of 6 x 10
12
miles in 1 light year. Will you
be able to get to Alpha Centauri on time?
Procedure
1. Using the TI
-
34
Ö
, find the total distance that you need to travel.
2. Next, find out how long it will take you to travel the distance. (Distance
traveled
P
1 light year)
3. Can you make the trip in the given time?
Extension
Now that you have been successful, you have been asked to make another
trip. The distance from the Sun to Delta Centauri is 9 x 10
13
miles. How long
will it take you to get there from Earth?
Hint: The Earth is approximately 9.3
Q
10
7
miles from the Sun.
