A spaceship of scientists can survey 9 new galaxies each year. A scientific team goes on a journey for 5 years and 2 months. How many galaxies will they be able to fully survey in that time?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To solve problems about the rate of completion, we can think of them like distance/speed problems. Distance = Rate • Time but instead of distance the result is the number completed: Number completed = Rate • Time First we must convert the months to years so that all of the time is in the same unit: 2 months ÷ 12 months = 0.17 years 5 years and 2 months = 5.17 years Rate • Time = Number Completed ^{9 galaxies}/_{1 year} • 5.17 years ^46.53/₁ = 46.53 galaxies We round this down to 46 because they were unable to complete the last one.

A Spaceship of Scientists Can Survey 9 New Galaxies Each