College

What is the correct way to write [tex]$1,550,000,000$[/tex] 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 the number [tex]$1,550,000,000$[/tex] in scientific notation, follow these steps:

1. Identify the significant digits: The number [tex]$1,550,000,000$[/tex] can be rewritten focusing on the significant digits, which are [tex]$1.55$[/tex].

2. Determine the power of ten: Count how many places you need to move the decimal point to transform the original number into a form where there is only one non-zero digit to the left of the decimal point.

- [tex]$1,550,000,000$[/tex] has its decimal implicitly at the end: [tex]$1,550,000,000.$[/tex]
- Move the decimal point 9 places to the left to place it after the first digit, which gives you [tex]$1.55$[/tex].

3. Write in scientific notation: After moving the decimal point 9 places to the left, express the number as [tex]$1.55 \times 10^9$[/tex].

So, the correct way to write [tex]$1,550,000,000$[/tex] in scientific notation is:

[tex]$1.55 \times 10^9$[/tex]