To find the combined water capacity of the two towers, we need to add the two quantities in scientific notation:
- Tower 1: \( 8.65 \times 10^2 \) gallons
- Tower 2: \( 6.23 \times 10^2 \) gallons
Since both numbers are in the same power of ten (\(10^2\)), we can add the coefficients directly:
\[ 8.65 + 6.23 = 14.88 \]
Now we can express this sum in scientific notation. Since \(14.88\) is greater than \(10\), we need to adjust it:
\[ 14.88 = 1.488 \times 10^1 \]
Now, we can combine this with the \(10^2\) from the original numbers:
\[ 1.488 \times 10^1 \times 10^2 = 1.488 \times 10^{3} \]
Hence, the combined water capacity is:
\[ 1.488 \times 10^3 \]
None of the provided options match this answer exactly, but it appears that they may be approximations.
If we round \(1.488\) to \(1.49\), we could also represent it as:
\[ 1.49 \times 10^3 \]
However, assuming we must stick strictly to what the sum gives without rounding, the answer \(1.488 \times 10^3\) remains correct, but since the options do not reflect that accurately, there may have been an initial oversight or confusion in what was supplied.
In conclusion, the answer of \(1.488 \times 10^3\) does not directly reflect in your options, so please confirm that the tiers are right or there are supposed to be choices reflecting this sum in the first place.
2 answers