Quick maths questions

[paulz]

In maths expressing something as 10 [with a small six at the top afterwards] is I vaguely recall a shorthand way of writing a million? so what would 10�� [that's 10 to the power of 22] be? Also in measuring a planets distance away, there was a number quoted with AU after it any ideas? thanx

[geofbob]

Yes, 10 to the power of 6 (ie 10x10x10x10x10x10) is one million. Correspondingly, 10 to the power of 22 would be a 1 with 22 noughts after it, or 10 multiplied by itself 21 times. An AU is an Astronomical Unit, defined as the mean distance between the earth and the sun, or 149,597,870.691 kilometers - for more info on the AU, see http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/glossary/au.html

[geofbob]

PS I note you posted this in Home & Garden - you must live in mighty big accommodation!

[paulz]

Geofbob - I wish! What we need is a help me I'm a parent stuck with homework section! - some chance [and I'm too old to remember my maths from School. Seriously thanks again, solved another dilema for me!

[KARL]

The AU is the abbreviation for "Astronomical Unit" which is the mean distance between the Earth and our sun. Being an elliptical orbit, the distance between the two varies cyclically.