Simplifying Scientific Notation: (5 x 10^3) x (9 x 10^7)
In mathematics, scientific notation is a way to express very large or very small numbers in a compact and convenient form. It follows the format:
a x 10^b
where 'a' is a number between 1 and 10, and 'b' is an integer representing the power of 10.
Let's simplify the expression (5 x 10^3) x (9 x 10^7) and express it in standard form.
1. Multiply the coefficients:
5 x 9 = 45
2. Multiply the powers of 10:
10^3 x 10^7 = 10^(3+7) = 10^10
3. Combine the results:
(5 x 10^3) x (9 x 10^7) = 45 x 10^10
4. Adjust to standard form:
Since 45 is greater than 10, we need to adjust the coefficient. We can rewrite 45 as 4.5 x 10^1. Now, we have:
4.5 x 10^1 x 10^10 = 4.5 x 10^(1+10) = 4.5 x 10^11
Therefore, the product of (5 x 10^3) and (9 x 10^7) expressed in standard form is 4.5 x 10^11.