How do you add these two numbers in scientific notation #51.023 x 10^-4 +29.981 x 10^1#?

1 Answer
Apr 1, 2015

Convert to standard, add, round to appropriate accuracy, change to scientific notation.

#51.023xx10^(-4) =color(white)("s") 0.0051023#
#29.981xx10^1 = 299.81# #color(white)("ssssssssss")#add to get:

#color(white)("ssssssssssssssssss")299.8151023#

Note that the second number is correct only to the hundredths digit (2 right of the decimal), so the sun should also be expressed to the nearest hundredth.

#299.82#

Now write in scientific notation: #2.9982xx10^2#.