Question

Which expression is a correct step in the process of adding 8.0 x 10^-2 and 6.0 x ^-3

(8.0 +0.6) x 10^-2

(8.0+6.0) x10^[(-2)+(-3)]

(8.0+0.6)x 10^[(-2+(-3)]

(8.0+6.0)x10^[(-2)-(-3)]

Answer 1

since the exponents are not the same we cannot simply add 8 + 6

we can convert 6.0 * 10^-3 into 0.6 * 10^-2 (dividing 6 by 10 and multiplying 10^-3 by 10)

then it's easy to add 8.0 * 10^-2 + 0.6 * 10^-2