Question

Calculate the ratio of cell A's length to cell B's length.

A) Expressing in scientific notation is easier.
B) Expressing in standard form is easier.
C) Both are equally easy.
D) It depends on the specific numbers.

Answer 1

The ease of calculating the ratio of cell A's length to cell B's length depends on the size of the numbers involved; for very large or small numbers, scientific notation is easier, while standard form might be better for more manageable numbers.

Step-by-step explanation:

Calculating the ratio of cell A's length to cell B's length can be easier in scientific notation or standard form depending on the context. If you're dealing with very large or very small numbers, which is common in science, expressing the ratio in scientific notation can simplify the comparison and make calculations easier. On the other hand, if the numbers are of a manageable size and more easily comprehensible in their decimal form, then using standard form might be preferable. In general, scientific notation is especially helpful for simplifying multiplication and division when working with numbers that have large differences in magnitude.

For instance, when evaluating the expression 333,999,500,000 ÷ 0.00000000003396, rewriting the original numbers in scientific notation first would make the division process much simpler.