Out of This World!

Worksheet Description

This worksheet, titled “Out of This World,” presents unit rate word problems with a space exploration theme. Students are tasked with solving problems that include calculating the travel speed of a spacecraft, the orbital period of a satellite, fuel consumption rates of a rocket, the speed of an astronaut on a spacewalk, and the distance a space probe travels over time. Additional scenarios involve the time taken for signals to travel from space to Earth, the distance covered by a rover on the Moon, the number of orbits a space station completes, the rate of image capture by a telescope, and the travel time to a distant comet.

The aim of the worksheet is to help students learn how to calculate unit rates in a context that captures their imagination and interest—space exploration. By working through these problems, students practice dividing quantities by time to determine the average rate at which an event or action occurs. This type of problem-solving is fundamental for understanding ratios and proportions, important mathematical concepts that students will use throughout their education. The space theme also introduces students to real-world applications of math, such as engineering and astronomy, and reinforces the importance of precision and calculation in scientific endeavors.

Example Problems

1. A spacecraft traveled 600,000 kilometers in 24 hours. Calculate the unit rate of distance traveled in kilometers per hour.

2. A satellite orbits the Earth at an altitude of 400 kilometers and completes one orbit every 90 minutes. Determine its unit rate of orbit in orbits per hour.

3. A rocket’s engines consumed 400 liters of fuel in 10 minutes. Calculate the unit rate of fuel consumption in liters per minute.

4. An astronaut on a spacewalk covered 500 meters in 5 minutes. Determine the unit rate of spacewalking speed in meters per minute.

5. A probe sent to Mars traveled 225 million kilometers in 9 months. Calculate the unit rate of distance traveled in kilometers per day.

6. A spaceship sent signals back to Earth from a distant galaxy, and it took 12 hours for signals to reach us. Determine the unit rate of signal transmission in hours per light-year.

7. A rover explored a crater on the Moon for 5 days and covered a distance of 50 kilometers. Calculate the unit rate of rover exploration in kilometers per day.