User manual

Star Voyage —

Scientific Notation

Name ___________________________

Date ___________________________

EXAS

NSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED

TI-30X ÙS: A Guide for Teachers

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

miles. The distance from the Earth to the Sun is

approximately 9.3 x 10

miles. Your ship can travel at the speed of light. You

know that light can travel a distance of 6 x 10

miles in 1 light year. Will you

be able to get to Alpha Centauri on time?

Procedure

1. Using the TI-30X

S, find the total distance that you need to travel.

_________________________________________________________________

Hint: Make sure your calculator is in scientific notation mode before you begin addition.

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

miles. How long

will it take you to get there from Earth?

Hint: The Earth is approximately 9.3 Q 10

miles from the Sun.