Question

Which of the following is correctly

written in scientific notation.
238. x 102
2380. x 10
23.8 x 103
2.38 x 104

Answer 1

The correctly written number in scientific notation from the provided options is 3.8 x 10^3, as it is correctly formatted with a base number between 1 and 10 and a power of 10.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks which of the given options is correctly written in scientific notation. Scientific notation requires that the number be written as a product of a number between 1 and 10 and an integer power of 10. Examining the given options:

• 238. x 102 is incorrect because the base number exceeds 10.
• 2380. x 102 is also incorrect because the base number exceeds 10.
• 3.8 x 103 is correct; it expresses the original number 2380 as 3.8 times 10 to the third power.
• 2.38 x 104 is incorrect because, after adjusting for the power of 10, the number would not equal the original number 2380.

Therefore, the correctly written option in scientific notation is 3.8 x 103.