To find the distance to nearby stars, the method of parallax is used. The idea is to find a triangle with the star at one vertex and with a base as large as possible. To do this, the star is observed at two different times exactly 6 months apart, and its apparent change in position is recorded. From these two observations  ∠E1SE2  can be calculated. (The times are chosen so that  ∠E1SE2  is as large as possible, which guarantees that  ∠E1OS  is 90°.) The angle  E1SO  is called the parallax of the star. Sirius, one of the stars nearest the earth, has a parallax of θ = 0.000106°. Estimate the distance to this star from E1. (Take the distance from the earth to the sun to be 9.3  107 mi. Enter your answer in scientific notation. Round the base to two decimal places

Glencoe Algebra 1, Student Edition, 9780079039897, 0079039898, 2018
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ISBN:9780079039897
Author:Carter
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Chapter5: Linear Inequalities
Section5.2: Solving Inequalities By Multiplication And Division
Problem 3AGP
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To find the distance to nearby stars, the method of parallax is used. The idea is to find a triangle with the star at one vertex and with a base as large as possible. To do this, the star is observed at two different times exactly 6 months apart, and its apparent change in position is recorded. From these two observations 

∠E1SE2

 can be calculated. (The times are chosen so that 

∠E1SE2

 is as large as possible, which guarantees that 

∠E1OS

 is 90°.) The angle 

E1SO

 is called the parallax of the star. Sirius, one of the stars nearest the earth, has a parallax of θ = 0.000106°. Estimate the distance to this star from E1. (Take the distance from the earth to the sun to be 9.3  107 mi. Enter your answer in scientific notation. Round the base to two decimal places.)

E2
E,
Transcribed Image Text:E2 E,
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