Question

How long would it take spacecraft to reach the nearest star at 98% of the speed of light?

Answer 1

`4329` years, `216` days

Explanation:

our nearest star, Proxima Centauri, `4,243` light years away.

this means that at the speed of light (`3 * 10^8 m//s`) it would take `4,243` years to get there.

travelling at `98%` the speed of light, it would take `4,243 * 1/(0.98)` years.

`4243/0.98 = 4329.591836...`, or `4329 29/49`

`29/49` years is `29/49 * 365.25` days, or `216` days (to the nearest day)

this means that it would take the spacecraft `4329` years and `216` days to reach Proxima Centauri, travelling at `98%` the speed of light