Question

Part B: Which is the more reasonable measurement of the distance between the tracks on a railroad: 1.435 x 10^-3 mm or 1.435 x 10^3mm?

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation

reasonable measurement of the distance between the tracks on a railroad

Step 1

convert the notation of the numbers

`\begin{gathered} 1.435\cdot10^(-3) \\ to\text{ find the result do:} \\ a)\text{put 4 ceros to the left of the number,it is} \\ 00001.435 \\ b)\text{move the dot the number of times = exponent of 10} \\ \text{ if the exponent is positive , then move the dot to the rigth} \\ \text{ if the exponent is negative, then move the dot to the left} \\ \text{the exponent is (-3), then we have to move the dot 3 spaces to the left} \\ 0.001432 \\ \text{Hence} \\ 1.435\cdot10^(-3)mm=0.001432\text{ mm} \end{gathered}`

0.001432mm is a very small measure for the distance between the tracks of a railroad,then we can discard it

Step 2

convert from scientific notation

1435 mm is a more reasonable measure for the distance between the tracks on a railroad, then the answer is