California State University Bakersfield Math and Units Review Worksheet you’ll find 15 problems from the first lab session for (into to astronomy)please answer accordingly in the same file Math and Units Review
Today we review and/or introduce the math skills used in this class. Students
are encouraged to work together (and even have some fun). The lab is graded solely
on attendance; you get full credit for attempting to finish even if you don’t have
everything done. Every student is expected to master this material, there will be
questions on every exam requiring the skills covered today.
(A) Algebra Practice
Solve for x,
1.
(a) 2 x = 10
(f) 3 x + 4 x = 21
(b) 4 / x = 1
(g) (x / 4) + (x / 2) = 18
2
(c) x = 121
(h) (2 / x) + (3 / x) = 20
(d) x3 = 1000
(i) 10 / x = 2 / 5
(e) = 2
(j) 2000 / x2 = 5
(B) Powers of Ten
108 = 10 × 10 ×10 ×10 ×10 ×10 ×10 ×10 = 100,000,000
”
”
”
”
”
10-‐‑5 = × × × × = 0.00001
“#
“#
“#
“#
“#
Rules for multiplication, division, and exponentiation of powers of ten:
Multiplying
10* × 10+ = 10*,+
Example:
10″# × 10- = 10”-
“#.
“#12
Division
= 10*0+
Example:
3 = 10-
“#/
“#
Exponentiation
10* + = 10*×+
Example:
10″# – = 10-#
(C) Scientific Notation
Numbers written in scientific notation have the format #.##×10#
Example: 0.000 003 21 is the same as 3.21 × 10-‐‑6
All scientific calculators have a special shortcut key for inputting numbers in
scientific notation, that special key is usually denoted EE, E, Exp, or ×10n.
Example: 6.02 × 1023 would be keyed in as 6 . 0 2 EE 2 3
The EE button is a shortcut for the × 10 ^ (raise to power) combination of keys.
Many calculators have an abbreviated way of displaying scientific notation answers,
if your calculator says “6.02E+23” or “6.02e23”, that really means 6.02 × 1023.
Practice Problems:
2.
(a) 1020 × 102 = ____________
(b) (1020) / (102) = ___________
(c) (1020)2 = __________
(d) Write 8 990 000 000 in scientific notation.
(e) Write 1.23 × 10-‐‑3 in regular decimal notation.
Use a scientific calculator to do the next ones.
(f) 29.5 × 5.98×1024 = ____________
(g)
(5.#×”#6 )8
-×”#18
= __________
And now a surprisingly tough problem, do this on your calculator,
9
(h)
= __________
5 × :
The answer to (h) should be, of course, 1. If you are getting a wrong answer (like 9)
then you need to learn how to get the right answer on your calculator!
(D) Units
We will mostly use the S.I. (or metric) system of units in Physics 1609. Why?
Because it is the better system of units and it is used throughout the world. The
standard unit of length in the metric system is the meter (about the same as a yard).
Masses are measured in kilograms (a 100-‐‑kg person will have a weight a little over
200 pounds). Other units will be introduced throughout the quarter.
Most physical quantities have units. Answers must be given as both the
number and the units. How long will that take? Answer: “5”. That answer is mean-‐‑
ingless without units, is it 5 seconds, 5 hours, 5 centuries?
(E) Metric Prefixes
How many pints in a gallon? Feet in a mile? The
metric system of units is the better system because it
mostly does away with oddball units and weird
numerical factors. In the metric system larger and
smaller units are created using a standard set of
prefixes and the larger and smaller units are different
by factors of 10 or 100 or 1000 …
So, for example,
1 kg = 1 kilogram = 1000 g
4 GB = 4 gigabytes = 4×109 bytes (4 billion)
3.2 ms = 3.2 milliseconds = 3.2×10-‐‑3 = 0.0032 s
Everyone should know the metric system,
knowing the metric system means knowing the metric
prefixes. Of the prefixes listed, mega (M), kilo (k), centi
(c) and milli (m) are critically important. Tera (T), giga (G), micro (μ, Greek letter
“mu”), and nano (n) are all commonly used as well and should be known. The other
prefixes are only rarely used.
Some Questions:
3. Cubic meters (m3) is a measure of __________
4. Can you add two values with different units? Give an example where this either
does or does not make sense. [Note: Multiplying numbers with different units is
allowed.]
5. A student proves that a dollar equals a penny as follows:
A dime is both one-‐‑tenth of a dollar and equal to 10 cents
.1$ = 10¢
Square both sides, will still be equal
.01$ = 100¢
But .01$ = 1¢ and 100¢ = 1$ so
1¢ = 1$
Exactly where did this proof go wrong? [Hint: It has
something to do with units.]
6. What is 0.000 045 6 s written as μs?
Metric prefixes can be fun! Here’s the proof, answer these questions:
7. 10 millipedes is a __________
8. A trillion (1012) microphones is a __________
9. 10 cards is a __________
(F) Angle Units
Astronomers measure the
angular size of objects in the sky.
Distant objects – only visible through
telescopes – are often just a tiny fraction
of a degree in size.
A full circle consists of 360°.
A right-‐‑angle is 90°.
One degree (1°) is roughly the angular height of a person standing at the far
opposite end of a football field.
There are two ways to measure angles smaller than 1°, one is to have
fractions or decimal values of degrees, the full moon spans an angle of about ½° or
0.5°. The other is to use smaller units called minutes of arc (‘) and seconds of arc (“).
1° = 60 minutes of arc = 60’ = 60 arcmin
1’ = 60 seconds of arc = 60” = 60 arcsec
It is not so strange, degrees are divided into minutes and seconds of arc the same
way that hours of time are divided into minutes and seconds of time. The angular
size of the full moon is about 30 minutes of arc.
A problem about angles:
10. Rank these from largest to smallest:
(a) 1.5°
(b) 30’
(c) 120’
(d) 120”
(G) Conversion of Units
How many days are in two weeks? You probably answered that almost
instantly – even though you might not be sure how you knew it or figured it out. You
need to have a methodical method of doing conversions for those cases where the
answer doesn’t just pop into your mind.
Conversion factor method: use known equalities between units (like 1 week
= 7 days, 1 km = 1000 m, or 1 in = 2.54 cm) to create conversion factors, fractions
; ?
” B*
“### *
5.-F G*
constructed from the equalities, like
,
,
,
.
” @AAB
“### *
” B*
” H+
These fractions have tops and bottoms that are exactly equal, so these
fractions are all equal to 1. Algebraically, that means we are allowed to multiply or
divide these factors anywhere, anytime. To convert units, you multiply by conver-‐‑
sion factors that cancel out the units you don’t want and leave the units you do want.
Examples:
Convert one year into the equivalent number of seconds.
:9- J
”
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