Question

Express this measurement in scientific notation to 3sf:

278, 651.23 mL

Group of answer choices

2.78 x 10^-5 mL

2.78 x 10^5 mL

2.79 x 10^5 mL

2.79 x 10^5

Answer 1

The answer would be
`2.79` ×
`10^(5)\ ml`.

When you have a big number and have to make it smaller, the exponent will be positive therefore
`10^(5)` and always remember that you have to round. It asks for 3 significant figures so you look at the last digit you need, which is 8, and then look to the right of it to see if you will need to round up or down. Since the number to its right is a 6, that means that you have to round up therefore the answer is
`2.79` instead of
`2.78`.