Scientific Notation Unit Test

Question

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Question
Janiya is taking a road trip. The distance she plans to travel can be written as 3×102 kilometers, 3×105 meters, 3×107 centimeters, or 3×108 millimeters. Which distance uses the most appropriate units?(1 point)
Responses

3×105 meters
3 times 10 to the 5th power meters

3×107 centimeters
3 times 10 to the 7th power centimeters

3×102 kilometers
3 times 10 squared kilometers

3×108 millimeters

Answer 1

To determine the most appropriate unit for Janiya's distance, we should consider the magnitude of each distance represented in scientific notation and the common usage of each unit for road distances.

1. 3 × 10² kilometers: This is equal to 300 kilometers, which is a reasonable distance for a road trip.

2. 3 × 10⁵ meters: This is equal to 300,000 meters, which converts to 300 kilometers. While this is also a reasonable distance, it is less commonly used for road travel.

3. 3 × 10⁷ centimeters: This equals 30,000,000 centimeters, which is 300 kilometers. Again, this is correct, but centimeters are not a practical unit for road distances.

4. 3 × 10⁸ millimeters: This equals 300,000,000 millimeters, or 300 kilometers. Like centimeters, millimeters are not practical for road distances.

Considering all the above, the most appropriate unit for Janiya's planned distance is:

3 × 10² kilometers (3 times 10 squared kilometers).

Kilometers are the standard unit for expressing distances in most countries for road travel, making this the most suitable choice.