Mathematics and Society - OS X Lion Server

In A Huge Chunk of Cheese studentsobserve that the apparent size of anobject depends on the distance from whichit is seen. From the Earth the Sun appearsto be the same size as the Moon. In fact,during a total solar eclipse the Mooncompletely covers the Sun.THE 1'11001\1 APPEARS TOCOMPLETELV COVERTHE SUN.SUlJEARTH(How wide would the Sun appear if theEarth were half as far from the Sun?Since the distances are so great the Sunwould appear twice as wide. Similarly ifthe Earth were one-third the distancefrom the Sun it would appear three timesas wide.The Sun's apparent width (w) isdefined by the relationship d x w = 1where d represents the observer'sdistance from the Sun.How wide would the Sun appear ifviewed from each of the other planets?From which planet would the Sun appearthe largest? the smallest?Use the relationship above (d x w = 1)to find the apparent width of the Sun fromeach planet. Complete the table. Eachdistance from the Sun is measured inastronomical units (a.u.).(CALC ULAiORSCOULD BE USED.°0 ~DISTAIJC£ OF PLAIIJETFROM 5U~ 11\.1 A.U.APPARE.f\1T WIDTHOF THE SUN.4 .7 1.5 5.2 9.5 19 30STUDIC.WTS COULDGRAPH THERELAT10lJSI~IPd X\iJ ' 1 mR THECLOSER PLAIJET5.a) How many times as wide does the Sun appearfrom Mercury than from Earth?3w102b) How many times as wide does the Sun appearfrom Venus than from Saturn?If the Sun appeared to be this8size from Earth, its apparentsize as seen from Pluto would SlJ Wbe smaller than the period atthe end of this sentence.IDEA FROM:Mathematics A Human EndeavorPermission to use granted by W. H. Freeman and Company Publishersd.I 2 3 q 5 Q 7 e 9 to II 12DISTANCe IN A.U.(