To achieve a voltage of 1.20 V at a distance of 5.0 m from a charged sphere, the correct equation to use is V = kQ/r, where k is a constant and r is the distance. The charge Q can be calculated by rearranging the equation to solve for Q once the values for V and r are known. The resulting charge will be in Coulombs, which can be converted to nanoCoulombs by multiplying by 10^-9. It is essential to understand and properly use SI units for accurate calculations. This discussion emphasizes the importance of using the correct formula and unit conversions in electrostatics.