Given that average speed is distance traveled divided by time, determine the values of m and n when the time it takes a beam of light to get from the sun to the earth (in s) is written in scientific notation. note: the speed of light is approximately 3.0×108m/s.

The distance  of earth from sun is 150 million km

We know that one million = 10^6 and 1 km= 10^3 m

Hence 150 million km = 150× 10^6 ×10^3 metre=150×10^9 m

                                                                                  =1.5×10^11 m

The speed of light in vacuum is  2.999... m/s which can be approximately close to  3.0 ×10^8 m/s

We are asked to calculate the time taken by the light beam to reach from sun to earth.

we know that average velocity

                                                       ⇒

Here distance=1.5×10^11 m and v=c= 3.0×10^8 m/s

                            hence time

                                                           =0.5×10^3 s

                                                            =5.0×10^2 s

 A correct scientific notation  is written as m×10^n   [Here m is the magnitude and n is power of 10]                                                      

Hence the value of m =5 and value of n =2