If telescope A is 160 cm in diameter, and telescope B is 32 cm in diameter, how much more light does telescope A gather than telescope B?
A) 5 times
B) 10 times
C) 20 times
D) 25 times
E) 100 times

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The amount of light a telescope can gather is proportional to the area of its aperture. The area of a circle (which is the shape of the aperture) is calculated by πr^2. Since the diameter is given, we can use the radius (half of the diameter) for the calculation. For telescope A, the radius is 80 cm, and for telescope B, it is 16 cm. The ratio of their light-gathering capabilities is (π*80^2) / (π*16^2) = 6400 / 256 = 25. Therefore, telescope A gathers 25 times more light than telescope B.

If Telescope a Is 160 Cm in Diameter, and Telescope