Question

the weight w of an object varies inversely as the square of the distance d from the center of the earth. at sea level (3978 mi from the center of the earth), an astronaut weighs 119 lb. find her weight when she is 463 mi above the surface of the earth and the spacecraft is not in motion

Answer 1

What is the astronaut's distance from the center of the earth when she is 463 miles above the surface?

Answer 2

she is 4441 mi from the center of the earth

Answer 3

Okay, if the variation is with the inverse square of the distance,
\[w =\frac{k}{d^2}\]where \(k\) is a constant that makes the weight at sea level be 119 lbs. Find the value of \(k\) and then use it to find her weight at altitude.