Question

The mean distance of the earth from the sun is 95 million miles. The distance varies by 1.5 million miles. What are the maximum and minimum distances of the Earth from the sun?

Answer 1

Given the mean Earth-sun distance of 95 million miles with a variation of 1.5 million miles, the maximum distance (aphelion) is 96.5 million miles, and the minimum distance (perihelion) is 93.5 million miles.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks us to find the maximum and minimum distances of the Earth from the sun, given that the mean distance is 95 million miles and the distance varies by 1.5 million miles. The maximum distance (aphelion) will be the mean distance plus the variation, and the minimum distance (perihelion) will be the mean distance minus the variation.

To calculate the maximum distance:
Maximum distance = mean distance + variation
= 95 million miles + 1.5 million miles
= 96.5 million miles.

To calculate the minimum distance:
Minimum distance = mean distance - variation
= 95 million miles - 1.5 million miles
= 93.5 million miles.

Therefore, the Earth's maximum distance from the sun is 96.5 million miles, and the Earth's minimum distance from the sun is 93.5 million miles.