Chapter 7.4, Problem 30PPE

To determine

To find: what fraction of a second is a picosecond. The average time it takes a computer to

execute one instruction is measured in picoseconds. There are $3.6\times {10}^{15}$ picoseconds

per hour.

Answer to Problem 30PPE

The required answer is: $\frac{1}{{10}^{12}}$ fraction of a second is a picosecond

Explanation of Solution

Given information:

The given information: there are $3.6\times {10}^{15}$ picoseconds per hour

Calculation:

1 hour =60 minutes

  $\begin{array}{l}=60\times 60\\ =3600\end{array}$ Seconds

(Since 1 minute is 60 seconds)

  $=3.6\times {10}^3$

(Simplify)

Now,

  $\frac{3.6\times {10}^3}{3.6\times {10}^{15}}=\frac{3.6}{3.6}\times {10}^{3-15}$

(Subtract exponents when dividing powers with the same base)

  $\begin{array}{l}=1\times {10}^{-12}\\ =\frac{1}{{10}^{12}}\end{array}$

(Simplify)

Therefore, in 1 second there are ${10}^{12}$ picoseconds.