Use scientific notation to determine which of these numbers has the least value: 123,893,31,892, or 12,786. Write your answer in scientific notation, expressed to the exact decimal point.

Answer 1

To compare the value of these numbers using scientific notation, let's write them in that format.

123,893 = 1.23893 x 10^5
31,892 = 3.1892 x 10^4
12,786 = 1.2786 x 10^4

Comparing the exponents, we can see that 10^4 has the least value.

Therefore, the number 12,786 has the least value according to scientific notation.