SOLUTION: How do you simplify 3.6 x 10^6/9 x 10^-3 then write it in scientific notation?

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Question 70449: How do you simplify 3.6 x 10^6/9 x 10^-3 then write it in scientific notation?
Answer by bucky(2189) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
%283.6+%2A+10%5E6%29%2F%289+%2A+10%5E-3%29
.
You deal with this problem in two different parts. Part 1 consists of finding 3.6%2F9.
When you do that division you get 0.4 for the answer. So now your problem is of the
form:
.
0.4+%2A%2810%5E6%2F10%5E%28-3%29%29
.
Now for Part 2.
.
When you multiply 10%5Ea+%2A+10%5Eb you add the exponents to get an answer of 10%5E%28a%2Bb%29
and when you divide 10%5Ea%2F10%5Eb you get an answer of 10%5E%28a-b%29. You problem calls
for you to divide 10%5E6%2F10%5E%28-3%29 so you need to subtract the exponent in the denominator
from the exponent in the numerator. So the answer to this problem is 10%5E%286-%28-3%29%29
which simplifies to 10%5E%286%2B3%29+=+10%5E9
.
So for the complete answer you need to multiply the answer for Part 1 times the answer for
Part 2. The result is 0.4+%2A+10%5E9
.
One final step. Scientific notation generally calls for one number to the left of the decimal
point. In this case you have no number to the left of the decimal point (zero doesn't count).
So what you do is take away one ten from the exponent of 10, leaving 10%5E8 and use that
10 to multiply the 0.4 ... making it become 4.0. So the final answer in scientific
notation is 4.0+%2A+10%5E8