To divide the numbers in scientific notation, follow these steps:
- Divide the coefficients (the numbers in front).
- Subtract the exponents of the powers of 10.
Given: \((3 \times 10^5) \div (12 \times 10^8)\)
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Divide the coefficients: \[ \frac{3}{12} = \frac{1}{4} = 0.25 \]
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Subtract the exponents: \[ 10^{5-8} = 10^{-3} \]
Now, combine the two results: \[ 0.25 \times 10^{-3} \]
To express \(0.25\) in scientific notation, we can write it as \(2.5 \times 10^{-1}\). Therefore:
\[ 0.25 \times 10^{-3} = (2.5 \times 10^{-1}) \times 10^{-3} = 2.5 \times 10^{-1 - 3} = 2.5 \times 10^{-4} \]
Thus, the result of \((3 \times 10^5) \div (12 \times 10^8)\) in scientific notation is:
\[ \boxed{2.5 \times 10^{-4}} \]