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Is the value of (1.7 x 10^6) x (2.1 x 10^3) greater than 1 or between 0 and 1? Explain your reasoning.

A) Greater than 1; multiplication of large numbers.
B) Between 0 and 1; multiplication of numbers in scientific notation.
C) Greater than 1; positive exponents result in a large product (Correct answer)
D) None of these

User Derelict
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The value of (1.7 x 10^6) x (2.1 x 10^3) is greater than 1 because multiplication of large numbers in scientific notation results in a large product.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks if the value of (1.7 x 10^6) x (2.1 x 10^3) is greater than 1 or between 0 and 1.

In scientific notation, when we multiply two numbers, we multiply the base numbers (also known as the coefficient) and add the exponents. Here's how this works for the given problem:

(1.7 x 10^6) x (2.1 x 10^3) = (1.7 x 2.1) x (10^6 x 10^3)

We then multiply the coefficients 1.7 and 2.1, which yields 3.57. We add the exponents 6 and 3 to get 9. So the result is:

3.57 x 10^9

Because the exponent (9) is positive, it means the decimal point in 3.57 will move 9 places to the right, which makes the number much larger than 1.

Therefore, the correct answer is C) Greater than 1; positive exponents result in a large product.

User Manroe
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