Final answer:
The claim that the average distance between Mars and Earth is about 1.3 x 10^8 km is false; the actual average distance is about 225 million km, although it can be as close as 56 million km during nearest approach.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the average distance between Mars and Earth is about 1.3 x 10^8 km is false. The average distance is closer to 225 million km (1.5 x 10^11 meters), but it varies considerably due to the elliptical orbits of the planets. During the closest approach, Mars and Earth can be approximately 56 million km apart.
This was demonstrated in 2003 when Earth and Mars were aligned, and the distance between them was 5.6 x 10^7 km. This occurrence was the closest they had been in 50,000 years. When exploring space travel possibilities, as in the case of the New Horizons space probe, understanding these distances is essential for mission planning.