The mass of Venus is about #4.871times10^21# metric tons. The mass of the sun is about #1.998times20^27# metric tons. About how many times the mass of Venus is the mass of the sun and give your answer in scientific notation?

1 Answer
Tony B
Sep 3, 2017

The mass of the Sun is approximately #4.102xx10^5# times that of Venus

Explanation:

Let the mas of Venus be #v#
Let the mass of the Sun be #s#

Let the constant of comparison be #k#

The question states:

How many times the mass of Venus #->vxxk=#
is the mass of the Sun#color(white)("ddddddddd.d")->vxxk=s#

#=> 4.871xx10^21xxk=1.998xx20^(27)#

#k=(1.998xx20^27)/(4.871xx10^21)#

Important point: The question uses the word 'about' so they are looking for solution that is not precise. Also they do not state the degree of precision to be applied.

#k=0.4101827.... xx10^6#

Write as:

#k=4.101827...xx10^5#

The question presents values to 3 decimal places so we should be quite safe to use the same degree of precision.

State k as #k=4.102xx10^5# Approximately

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