Question

The U.S. national debt was $2.9617 x 10^13 in 2021 and $3.98 x 10^11 in 1971. Find how much the debt increased in the 50-year period.

a $1.0183 x 10^24
b $2.9219 x 10^13
c $2.9219 x 10^11
d $3.0015 x 10^13

Answer 1

1. 4.5866 * 10*-5
2. $3.0015 * 10^13
3. 3.2 * 10^-11 m
4. A red blood cell has a bigger diameter than a platelet by 5.17 * 10^-6 m
5. 5 * 10^7

Answer 2

To find the increase in the debt over the 50-year period, we can subtract the debt in 1971 from the debt in 2021.

2021 debt - 1971 debt = (2.9617 x 10^13) - (3.98 x 10^11)
= 2.9617 x 10^13 - 3.98 x 10^11
= 2.9617 x 10^13 - 2.9617 x 10^12 (subtracting in scientific notation)

Now we can combine the terms with the same power of 10:

2.9617 x 10^13 - 2.9617 x 10^12 = (2.9617 - 0.29617) x 10^13
= 2.66553 x 10^13

So, the debt increased by $2.66553 x 10^13 or in standard notation, $26,655,300,000,000.

Therefore, the answer is not listed among the options provided.