The U.S. national debt was $2.9617×10 to the power of 13 in 2021 and $3.98×10 to the power of 11 in 1971. Find how much the debt increased in the 50-year period. (1 point)

Question

Responses

$1.0183×10 to the power of 24
1.0183 dollars times 10 superscript 24 baseline

$3.0015×10 to the power of 13
3.0015 dollars times 10 superscript 13 baseline

$2.9219×10 to the power of 13
2.9219 dollars times 10 superscript 13 baseline

$2.9219×10 to the power of 11

Answer 1

To find the increase in the U.S. national debt over the 50-year period from 1971 to 2021, we need to subtract the debt in 1971 from the debt in 2021.

The debt in 2021 is given as:

\[ 2.9617 \times 10^{13} \]

The debt in 1971 is given as:

\[ 3.98 \times 10^{11} \]

Before we perform the subtraction, we need to express both numbers with the same exponent. The number \(3.98 \times 10^{11}\) can be rewritten with the same exponent as \(2.9617 \times 10^{13}\):

\[ 3.98 \times 10^{11} = 0.0398 \times 10^{13} \]

Now we can perform the subtraction:

\[ 2.9617 \times 10^{13} - 0.0398 \times 10^{13} = (2.9617 - 0.0398) \times 10^{13} = 2.9219 \times 10^{13} \]

Therefore, the increase in the national debt over the 50-year period is:

\[ \boxed{2.9219 \times 10^{13}} \]