High School

What is the correct way to write 1,550,000,000 in scientific notation?

A. [tex]1.55 \times 10^9[/tex]
B. [tex]1.55 \times 10^{10}[/tex]
C. [tex]15.5 \times 10^8[/tex]
D. [tex]15.5 \times 10^9[/tex]

Answer :

To write 1,550,000,000 in scientific notation, you need to follow these steps:

1. Identify the Significant Digits: The number 1,550,000,000 has three significant digits: 1, 5, and 5.

2. Place the Decimal: To convert this number into scientific notation, you want a number between 1 and 10, so you'll place the decimal after the first significant digit. This gives you 1.55.

3. Count the Decimal Places: Count how many places you moved the decimal to get from 1,550,000,000 to 1.55. You moved it 9 places to the left.

4. Express as a Power of Ten: Since you moved the decimal 9 places to the left, you multiply by 10 raised to the power of 9.

So, the number 1,550,000,000 in scientific notation is written as [tex]\(1.55 \times 10^9\)[/tex].

Thus, the correct choice is:
[tex]\(1.55 \times 10^9\)[/tex].