Question
The approximate areas of Nebraska and Massachusetts are listed below:
Nebraska: 2 x 10^5 square kilometers
Massachusetts: 2.73 x 10^4 square kilometers
What's the difference between the areas of the two states? Express your answer using either standard notation or scientific notation.
Nebraska: 2 x 10^5 square kilometers
Massachusetts: 2.73 x 10^4 square kilometers
What's the difference between the areas of the two states? Express your answer using either standard notation or scientific notation.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
To find the difference between the areas of Nebraska and Massachusetts, we subtract the area of Massachusetts from the area of Nebraska:
1. Area of Nebraska: \( 2 \times 10^5 \) square kilometers
2. Area of Massachusetts: \( 2.73 \times 10^4 \) square kilometers
To perform the subtraction, it helps to express both areas with the same exponent. We can write \( 2.73 \times 10^4 \) in terms of \( 10^5 \):
\[
2.73 \times 10^4 = 0.273 \times 10^5
\]
Now we can subtract:
\[
2 \times 10^5 - 0.273 \times 10^5 = (2 - 0.273) \times 10^5 = 1.727 \times 10^5
\]
Thus, the difference between the areas of Nebraska and Massachusetts is:
\[
\boxed{1.727 \times 10^5} \text{ square kilometers}
\]
1. Area of Nebraska: \( 2 \times 10^5 \) square kilometers
2. Area of Massachusetts: \( 2.73 \times 10^4 \) square kilometers
To perform the subtraction, it helps to express both areas with the same exponent. We can write \( 2.73 \times 10^4 \) in terms of \( 10^5 \):
\[
2.73 \times 10^4 = 0.273 \times 10^5
\]
Now we can subtract:
\[
2 \times 10^5 - 0.273 \times 10^5 = (2 - 0.273) \times 10^5 = 1.727 \times 10^5
\]
Thus, the difference between the areas of Nebraska and Massachusetts is:
\[
\boxed{1.727 \times 10^5} \text{ square kilometers}
\]