The population of a city is given as 3.45x10^6. A nearby city has a population of 1.3x10^5. What is the sum of the populations of the two cities in scientific notation?

Question

1. 4.72 x 10^11
2. 35.8 + 10^5
3. 3.58 x 10^6
4. 4.75 x 10^5

Answer 1

To find the sum of the populations of the two cities, you simply add their values together.

(3.45x10^6) + (1.3x10^5)

The powers of 10 in scientific notation can be added together when the base (in this case, 10) is the same.

= 3.45x10^6 + 1.3x10^5

= 3.45x10^6 + 0.13x10^6 (using the properties of exponential notation)

= (3.45 + 0.13)x10^6 (combining the coefficients)

= 3.58x10^6

The sum of the populations of the two cities is 3.58x10^6, so the answer is option 3.