Is 15,300 in scientific notation 0.153*10^-5 or 1.53*10^-4

Answer 1

To express the number 15,300 in scientific notation, we want it in the form $a\times {10}^n$, where $1\le a<10$ and $n$ is an integer.

To convert 15,300 into scientific notation:

1. Move the decimal point in 15,300 to the left until it is in the correct form. The decimal point moves 4 places to the left, so we get $1.53$.
2. Since we moved the decimal 4 places to the left, we multiply by ${10}^4$.

This gives us: $$15,300=1.53\times {10}^4$$

Now, let's analyze the two options given:

1. $0.153\times {10}^{-5}$
2. $1.53\times {10}^{-4}$

Both options appear to be incorrect for representing 15,300.

To verify:

• $0.153\times {10}^{-5}=0.153\times 0.00001=0.00000153$, which is significantly smaller than 15,300.
• $1.53\times {10}^{-4}=1.53\times 0.0001=0.000153$, which is also much smaller than 15,300.

The correct scientific notation for 15,300 is $1.53\times {10}^4$.