Math Problem Statement
A typical American family uses 860 kWh of electricity a month. What is the average current in the 100 V power line to the house?
Solution
To find the average current in the power line, we can use the formula for electrical power:
Where:
- is the power (in watts, W),
- is the voltage (in volts, V),
- is the current (in amperes, A).
However, the energy consumption is given in kilowatt-hours (kWh), not watts. So, we first convert the energy usage to total power over time and then calculate the average current.
Step 1: Convert kWh to Watts
The family uses 860 kWh per month. We convert that to watts by recalling that:
So, the total energy consumption is:
Step 2: Determine the Average Power Consumption
Since 1 month has approximately 30 days, and each day has 24 hours, the total time is:
Now, the average power consumption is the total energy divided by the time:
Step 3: Calculate the Average Current
Now, using the power equation , we can solve for the current :
Thus, the average current in the power line is approximately:
Conclusion:
The average current flowing through the 100 V power line to the house is 11.94 A.
Would you like further details or have any questions? Here are five related questions to expand on this topic:
- How would the current change if the voltage were increased to 120 V?
- How is electrical energy measured and billed in a household?
- What factors can affect the power consumption of a household?
- What is the difference between alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC)?
- How do you convert electrical power from watts to kilowatts?
Tip: Keeping energy-efficient appliances can significantly reduce your monthly kWh consumption.
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Math Problem Analysis
Mathematical Concepts
Electricity
Power
Current
Energy
Formulas
P = VI (Power = Voltage × Current)
Energy (in kWh) = Power (in watts) × Time (in hours)
Theorems
-
Suitable Grade Level
Grades 9-12
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