manual
4 TI-34 MultiView: A Guide For Teachers © 2007 TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
Activity
Present the following problem to students:
You are a captain of a starship in the distant
future. You have been assigned to go to Alpha
Centauri and you have 5 years to get there. The
distance from our sun to Alpha Centauri is
2.5 x 10
13
miles. The distance from the earth to
our sun is approximately 9.3 x 10
7
miles.
Although we have not yet discovered how to travel
at the speed of light, you live in a time where your
ship can travel at the speed of light.
Light travels the approximate distance of 6 x 10
12
miles in 1 light year. You will take a path from
earth by our sun and then on to Alpha Centauri.
Will you be able to get to Alpha Centauri on time?
Procedure
1. Using the TI-34 MultiView™ calculator, find the
total distance you need to travel.
2.5
¿
10
13
+ 9.3
¿
10
7
= 2.5000093
¿
10
13
miles
2. Next, find out how long it will take you to travel
the distance. (distance traveled
¾ 1 light year)
years
3. Can you make the trip in the allotted time of
5years?
Yes, if your ship really could travel at the speed of
light.
Extension
Light travels at 186,000 miles per second. A light
year is the distance that light can travel in a year.
Have students convert one light year to miles
traveled per light year.
We approximate this value using 6x10
12
miles in 1
light year in this activity.
Answer to student extension: It will take the starship
approximately 15 years to get to Delta Centauri.
2
.5000093 10
13
×
610
12
×
-
--------------------------------------------
4.1666821672
=
186 000
miles
,
1sec
-------------------------------------
60sec
1min
--------------
60min
1hour
----------------
××
24hrs
1day
--------------
×
365days
1year
---------------------
×
5.87 10
12
miles×
year
------------------------------------------
≈
³ Students can learn more about this
topic by visiting NASA web sites
on the Internet.
³ Follow these steps:
1. Press 2.5
C13 " T 9.3 C
7
<.
2.5000093x10
13
2. Press %i P 6 C
12
<.
4.166682167
Star voyage — scientific notation (Continued)
Hint: The Earth is approximately 9.3 x 10
7
miles from the Sun.
³ Depending on the problem, remind
students to include parentheses
where needed to ensure the intended
order of operations.
Example: In Classic mode,
(2.5000093 x 10^13) ¾ (6 x 10^12)
must include the parentheses in
order to get the correct result.
³ Hint: Before you begin, make sure that
the TI-34 MultiView calculator is in
MathPrint™ mode to work this
problem.