Question

The approximate areas of Nebraska and Massachusetts are listed below:
Nebraska: 2, times, 10, to the power 52×10
5
square kilometers
Massachusetts: 2, point, 7, 3, times, 10, to the power 42.73×10
4
square kilometers
What's the difference between the areas of the two states? Express your answer using either standard notation or scientific notation.

Answer 1

Interpreting the areas as Nebraska = 2.52×10^5 km^2 and Massachusetts = 2.73×10^4 km^2:

Difference = 2.52×10^5 − 2.73×10^4
= (2.52 − 0.273)×10^5
= 2.247×10^5 km^2

In standard notation: 224,700 km^2.