Final answer:
The quotient of 1.35 x 10⁹ and 1.5 x 10⁴ is 9.0 x 10⁴, calculated by dividing the coefficients and subtracting the exponents, ensuring the coefficient is between 1 and 10 for proper scientific notation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asked is, "What is the quotient of 1.35 x 10⁹ and 1.5 x 10⁴ expressed in scientific notation?" To solve this, we divide the two numbers.
First, let's divide the coefficients (1.35/1.5) which equals 0.9. Then, we subtract the exponents (9 - 4) which equals 5. So, the quotient in scientific notation is 0.9 x 10⁵, but we must adjust the coefficient to be between 1 and 10 for proper scientific notation. We do this by multiplying the coefficient by 10 and decreasing the exponent by 1, resulting in 9.0 x 10⁴.
Therefore, the correct answer is (a) 9.0 x 10⁴.