Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2007/iii/paper-67/3/ii/solution

In an Einstein-de Sitter universe, . At the cloud's approximate epoch , , and corresponds to . Therefore
Choosing the midpoint instead gives proper. Thus the intended approximate proper distance is about ; the small variation reflects the epoch choice in the local expansion, not a factor-of-four physical discrepancy. For example the exact comoving separation is , whose conversion at the midpoint agrees with that estimate.

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