Final answer:
When multiplying or dividing numbers in scientific notation, the coefficients should be multiplied directly (Option B).
Step-by-step explanation:
When multiplying or dividing numbers in scientific notation, the coefficients should be multiplied directly when multiplying and divided directly when dividing. As for the exponents, we add them together in multiplication and subtract the exponent of the divisor from the exponent of the dividend in division.
In scientific notation, a number is expressed as a product of a coefficient, which is a number between 1 and 10, and a power of 10. Multiplication and division in scientific notation simplify dealing with very large or very small numbers by allowing you to easily combine the powers of 10.
For instance, when multiplying (2 x 10³) x (3 x 10⁴), you would multiply the coefficients (2 x 3 = 6) and add the exponents (3 + 4 = 7), resulting in 6 x 10⁷.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question is option B) Multiplied directly for coefficients and add or subtract the exponents depending on whether you are multiplying or dividing.