Question

I am having trouble with dividing scientific notation could anyone help me with this problem (8.56 · 10^8) / (3.71 · 10^3) I don't just want the answer i actually want to learn how to do it so I can figure out what I am doing wrong

Answer 1

You can write the numerator as (8.56)(10^8)
and the denomimantor as (3.71)(10^3)
So you can divide the number and exponents
Since its 10^8 / 10^3, you subtract the exponents, and you just divide the numbers normally
You get ((8.56)(10^5))

Answer 2

ok how did you get the 8.56 and where did the 3.71 go?

Answer 3

my bad, i meant to write 8.56/ 3.71

Answer 4

((8.56/3.71)(10^5))

Answer 5

ok then to simplify this do I divide those because then I get a really long yucky decimal?

Answer 6

Yeah, when you try to simplify, you get a long decimal number

Answer 7

so that would be the simplified form to avoid the long decimal?

Answer 8

\[\frac{8.56\times10^{8}}{3.71\times10^{3}}=\frac{8.56}{3.71}\times\frac{10^{8}}{10^{3}}\]

Answer 9

\[2.31\times10^{5}\]

Answer 10

so you are saying that you can just simplify the long decimal to 2.31 to simplify the whole problem?

Answer 11

If you write 2.31 its only ABOUT 8.56/3.71, not exactly.. do you get what im talking about? They're not the same number, 2.31 is rounded off

Answer 12

yes I do get that that is why I asked because the resulting number would not be the same if you round