How do you write #(3.00 times 10^8 m/s) / (5.68 times 10^9 m)# in scientific notation?

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Answer 1 · 2015-11-05T23:05:43

The numbers are: #5.2817 times 10^(-2)#
There is something wrong with the 'units' configuration in the question!!

First the numbers:

#3/5.56 = .52817 # to 5 dp

write as
#5.2817 times 10^(-1)#

Now look at the indices.

Note that #10^(-1) = 1/10#

#(10^8)/(10 times 10^9)=10^(-2)#

Now look at the units:

#m/s divide m = m/s times 1/m = 1/s#

as it is one over s it is #color(blue)("'per second' ( for each second)")#

Putting it all together:

#5.2817 times 10^(-2) color(red)("(per second?????) that is can't be correct!!")#
You have to have 'some form of unit' per second!!!!

Did you mean #(m/s) divide (m/s) ?#

If so then they all cancel out and you have no units. Just numbers!!