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Express 0.000006 as a floating-point literal using scientific notation with a single digit before and after the decimal point:

a) 6.0 × 10⁻⁶
b) 6.0 × 10⁻⁵
c) 6.0 × 10⁶
d) 6.0 × 10⁵

User Jsl
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1 Answer

3 votes

Final answer:

0.000006 expressed in scientific notation is 6.0 × 10⁻⁶. Scientific notation involves moving the decimal point to make the number easier to read and work with, especially when dealing with very large or very small numbers.

"the correct option is approximately option A"

Step-by-step explanation:

Expressing the number 0.000006 as a floating-point literal using scientific notation with a single digit before and after the decimal point can be done by identifying how many places the decimal needs to move to the right for the number to be between 1 and 10. In this case, the decimal point needs to move 6 places to the right, which gives us 6.0. Since we moved the decimal to the right, it is a negative exponent of 10. Therefore, the correct expression in scientific notation is 6.0 × 10⁻⁶.

Scientific notation is a way of expressing numbers that are too large or too small to be conveniently written in decimal form. It is commonly used in fields such as physics, engineering, and mathematics. By using scientific notation, we can simplify both the notation and the calculations involving very large or very small numbers.

To convert a number into scientific notation, move the decimal point to the right of the first non-zero digit (for numbers less than 1), noting how many places you move it. This number becomes the exponent with a base of 10. If you moved the decimal to the right, the exponent is negative; if you moved it to the left, the exponent is positive. In this particular case, the correct choice is a) 6.0 × 10⁻⁶.

User HeDinges
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