Solution:
Given the two numbers:
1.5 × 10^8
7.4 × 10^7
We want to find the difference between these two numbers.
Step 1:
Rewrite these numbers in normal decimal representation:
1.5 × 10^8 = 150000000
7.4 x 10^7 = 74000000
Step 2:
Subtract the second number from the first number:
150000000 - 74000000 = 76000000
The difference is 76000000.
Step 3:
Convert the difference (76000000) back to scientific notation.
Given that scientific notation is a way of expressing numbers that are too big or too small to be conveniently written in decimal form. It is represented as a x 10^n, where 1 ≤ |a| < 10 and n represents the number of digits after the decimal point of a.
In our case, a will be 7.6 (the digits of the difference number until we reach a numeral that is not zero). and n will be 7 (the number of numerals left in the difference after applying the previous condition).
So, 76000000 can be written as 7.6 × 10^7 in scientific notation.
Hence, the difference between 1.5 × 10^8 and 7.4 × 10^7 is 7.6 × 10^7.