The radius of the Milky Way Galaxy is about 50,000 light-years. Write this number in scientific notation.

What is the radius of the Milky Way Galaxy in miles? Write your final answer in scientific notation and show at least one step of your work.

Question

The radius of the Milky Way Galaxy is about 50,000 light-years.  Write this number in scientific notation.

What is the radius of the Milky Way Galaxy in miles?  Write your final answer in scientific notation and show at least one step of your work.

anonymous · Answer

Tully00, we are here to help you. However, we cannot make you homework. You have to try first, then if you have a question, we can help you. You have to try it first!

anonymous · Answer

I have tried to work them out. what i got for the first one was 5 X 10 4th power

anonymous · Answer

That is the correct answer. Try 0.000245 now

anonymous · Answer

2.45 X 10 -4th power

anonymous · Answer

exactly. That is the answer. I thing you are already done with scientist notation :)  Do you have any question?

anonymous · Answer

yes the question that I was having trouble with was the second one. How do I find the radius

anonymous · Answer

in miles

anonymous · Answer

I need 2 minutes to get the answer. Wait please

anonymous · Answer

If the radius of the Milky Way Galaxy is about 50,000 (5x10^4) light-years, and 1 light-year is 5,878,630,000 (5.88x10^12), then:

$$r=(5x10^{4} Light-years)*(5.88x10^{12} miles/1 light-year)$$
then
r=29.4x10^16
r=2.94x10^17

This is the answer

anonymous · Answer

Light-year in the numerator cancel with the numerator in the denominator, so you get the radius in miles

anonymous · Answer

got it ttully00?

anonymous · Answer

yeah it seems kind of complicated.

anonymous · Answer

what part you dont understand?

anonymous · Answer

how did you get the 29.4

anonymous · Answer

Multiplying 5x10^4 with 5.88x10^12. You have to multiply 5 and 5.88 first so you get 29.4. After that you have to multiply 10^4 and 10^12 = 10^4 (for this multiplication the base (10) remains and the exponents are added (4+12=16))

anonymous · Answer

There is a mistake in the last post. Read this instead :)

Multiplying 5x10^4 with 5.88x10^12. You have to multiply 5 and 5.88 first so you get 29.4. After that you have to multiply 10^4 and 10^12 = 10^16 (for this multiplication the base (10) remains and the exponents are added (4+12=16))

anonymous · Answer

got it now?

anonymous · Answer

O ok

anonymous · Answer

Try multiplying 5x10^5 and 2x10^8 :)