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, we need to express it as a product of a number between 1 and 10 and a power of 10. Here's how we can do it:

1. Identify the Significant Figures:
- Move the decimal point in the number [tex]$1,550,000,000$[/tex] so that it is after the first non-zero digit. This gives us [tex]$1.55$[/tex].

2. Count the Number of Decimal Places Moved:
- The original number is [tex]$1,550,000,000$[/tex]. Think of this as [tex]$1,550,000,000.0$[/tex].
- Move the decimal point 9 places to the left to position it between 1 and 5 in [tex]$1.55$[/tex].

3. Express as Scientific Notation:
- Since we moved the decimal place 9 times to the left, we multiply by [tex]$10^9$[/tex]:
[tex]\[
1,550,000,000 = 1.55 \times 10^9
\][/tex]

Therefore, the correct way to write [tex]$1,550,000,000$[/tex] in scientific notation is [tex]\(1.55 \times 10^9\)[/tex].