What could it be. (science)

Ahypothesis is? close agreement by competent observers of observations of the same phenomena. a guess that has been tested over and over again and always found to be true. an educated guess that has yet to be proven by experiment. the long side of a right triangle. a synthesis of a large collection of information that includes guesses.

Light from the sun reaches the earth in 8.3 minutes. the velocity is 3.00 x 10^8 m/s. how far is earth from the sun? i know how to get to d = (3 x 10^8 m/s)(498 sec). i just don't know how to get from there to the answer being 1.5 x 10^11 m.

As part of your daily workout, you lie on your back and push with your feet against a platform attached to two stiff springs arranged side by side so that they are parallel to each other. when you push the platform, you compress the springs. you do an amount of work of 79.0 j when you compress the springs a distance of 0.230 m from their uncompressed length. (a) what magnitude of force must you apply to hold the platform in this position? (b)how much additional work must you do to move the platform a distance 0.230 m farther? (c) what maximum force must you apply to move the platform a distance 0.230 m farther?