Final answer:
When finding the difference between numbers in scientific notation with the same exponent, we subtract the decimals and adjust the exponent accordingly.
Step-by-step explanation:
When finding the difference between (4.54 x 108) and (3.98 x 108) in scientific notation, we need to consider the decimal difference and its effect on the exponent.
To find the difference, we subtract the second decimal from the first decimal:
(4.54 x 108) - (3.98 x 108) = 0.56 x 108.
Since the decimal difference is 0.56, we need to adjust the exponent so that there is only one non-zero digit to the left of the decimal point. In this case, the exponent remains the same: 10^8. Therefore, the difference is 0.56 x 10^8.