Multiply in Scientific Notation Practice

Question

Complete this assessment to review what you've learned. It will not count toward your grade.
1 of 51 of 5 Items
Question
The weight of an ant averages about 3×10−6
kg. There are about 1×1016
ants in the world. What is the approximate weight in kilograms of all the ants in the world? Write the answer in scientific notation.(

Answer 1

To find the approximate weight of all the ants in the world, you need to multiply the average weight of one ant by the total number of ants.

Given:

• Weight of one ant = \( 3 \times 10^{-6} \) kg
• Number of ants = \( 1 \times 10^{16} \)

Now perform the multiplication:

\[ (3 \times 10^{-6}) \times (1 \times 10^{16}) \]

First, multiply the coefficients (the numbers before the powers of ten):

\[ 3 \times 1 = 3 \]

Next, add the exponents of the powers of ten:

\[ -6 + 16 = 10 \]

Now combine these results:

\[ 3 \times 10^{10} \]

So, the approximate weight of all the ants in the world is:

\[ \boxed{3 \times 10^{10}} \text{ kg} \]