Calculating Solar Energy for U.S.?

Question

With a surface area of 9.83 km^2 how much solar energy could the U.S. produce?

The sun provides 2kw hours per meter^2

Answer 1

You have a multiplication problem of:

(9.83 km^2) * (2 kW / m^2)

But we need to use a conversion factor where 1000m = 1km, and also the fact that km^2 = km*km and m^2 = m*m.

Then we multiply the equation by (1000m/1km)=1 twice.

(9.83 km*km) * (2 kW / m*m) * (1000m/1km) * (1000m/1km)

The km and m units cancel out leaving:

9.83 * 2kW * 1000 * 1000

Resulting in: 19,660,000 kW