Power Play (Exponents) | IT

Question 40

Context: Roxie tells Estu about a science-fiction novel she is reading where they build a ladder to reach the moon, "... I wonder if we actually had a ladder like that, how many steps would it have?".

Q. Would the number of steps be in thousands, lakhs, crores, or even more?

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Solution
Understand the Question
  • To determine the order of magnitude of the steps needed to reach the Moon, we estimate:
    • Average distance from Earth to Moon 384,400 km=3.844×108 m\approx 384,400 \text{ km} = 3.844 \times 10^8 \text{ m}
    • Approximate height of one step on a ladder 20 cm=0.2 m\approx 20 \text{ cm} = 0.2 \text{ m}
  • The total number of steps is given by dividing the total distance by the height of one step: Total steps=Distance to MoonHeight of one step\text{Total steps} = \dfrac{\text{Distance to Moon}}{\text{Height of one step}}.
  • We then compare this number to standard Indian numbering units: thousand (10310^3), lakh (10510^5), and crore (10710^7).

Step 1 · Distance to the Moon

The average distance from the Earth to the Moon is approximately 384,400 km384,400 \text{ km}.Diagram 1

Converting to meters:

DMoon=384,400 km=384,400×1000 m=384,400,000 m=3.844×108 m\begin{aligned} D_{\text{Moon}} &= 384,400 \text{ km} \\ &= 384,400 \times 1000 \text{ m} \\ &= 384,400,000 \text{ m} \\ &= 3.844 \times 10^8 \text{ m} \end{aligned}

Step 2 · Height of one step

Assuming a standard step height of 20 cm20 \text{ cm}, convert to meters:

Hstep=20 cm=20100 m=0.2 m\begin{aligned} H_{\text{step}} &= 20 \text{ cm} \\ &= \dfrac{20}{100} \text{ m} \\ &= 0.2 \text{ m} \end{aligned}

Step 3 · Calculate total number of steps

Divide the total distance to the Moon by the height of a single step:

N=DMoonHstep=3.844×108 m0.2 m=3.8440.2×108=19.22×108=1.922×1091.92×109 steps\begin{aligned} N &= \dfrac{D_{\text{Moon}}}{H_{\text{step}}} \\[0.6em] &= \dfrac{3.844 \times 10^8 \text{ m}}{0.2 \text{ m}} \\[0.6em] &= \dfrac{3.844}{0.2} \times 10^8 \\[0.6em] &= 19.22 \times 10^8 \\[0.6em] &= 1.922 \times 10^9 \approx 1.92 \times 10^9 \text{ steps} \end{aligned}

Step 4 · Compare with given units

Comparing N1.92×109N \approx 1.92 \times 10^9 with standard unit values:

  • 1 thousand=103\text{1 thousand} = 10^3
  • 1 lakh=105\text{1 lakh} = 10^5
  • 1 crore=107\text{1 crore} = 10^7

Expressing the total steps in terms of crores:

1.92×109=192×107=192 crores\begin{aligned} 1.92 \times 10^9 &= 192 \times 10^7 \\[0.6em] &= 192 \text{ crores} \end{aligned}

Since 192 crores>1 crore192 \text{ crores} > 1 \text{ crore}, the number of steps is significantly greater than crores.

Answer

Even more than crores

Common Mistakes
  • Unit Mismatch: Dividing kilometers directly by centimeters without converting both to a common unit (meters).
  • Unit Value Confusion: Misidentifying the power of 1010 for standard units: 1 lakh=1051 \text{ lakh} = 10^5 and 1 crore=1071 \text{ crore} = 10^7.

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Q39

Context: Roxie tells Estu about a science-fiction novel she is reading where they build a ladder to reach the moon, "... I wonder if we actually had a ladder like that, how many steps would it have?".

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Q40

Context: Roxie tells Estu about a science-fiction novel she is reading where they build a ladder to reach the moon, "... I wonder if we actually had a ladder like that, how many steps would it have?".

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