Question

PLEASE PLEASE HELP

The average human body cell is about 5.1 x 10^-4 cm in diameter. The diameter of a plant cell is 8 x 10^-3 cm.
What is the combined diameter of the body cell and plant cell?

Answer 1

`8.51x10^(-3)cm`

Explanation:

In order to add or subtract numbers in scientific notation, the powers of ten must have the same exponent. In this caes the diameter of an average human body cell is a power of -4 and the diameter of a plant cell is a power of -3. In order to add them, we can move the decimal over for the body cell diameter:

`5.1x10^(-4)=0.51x10^(-3)`

Add the two values:
`0.51x10^(-3)+8x10^(-3)=8.51x10^(-3)cm`

Answer 2

8.51×10^-3 cm

Explanation:

Hope this helps :)