To compare the numbers in scientific notation, we can express them in a common form with the same exponent. The easiest way is to convert all of them to the same power of 10.
- 8.79 x 10^7 is already in good form.
- 9.87 x 10^6 can be converted to 0.987 x 10^7 (since \(9.87 \times 10^6 = 0.987 \times 10^7\)).
- 7.89 x 10^8 can be converted to 78.9 x 10^7 (since \(7.89 \times 10^8 = 78.9 \times 10^7\)).
Now, we can compare the coefficients while keeping the exponent \(10^7\) constant:
- \(8.79\) (from \(8.79 \times 10^7\))
- \(0.987\) (from \(0.987 \times 10^7\))
- \(78.9\) (from \(78.9 \times 10^7\))
Among these coefficients, 0.987 is the smallest.
Therefore, the number with the least value is 9.87 x 10^6.
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