How do you simplify #(5.184times10^-5)/(7.2times10^3)#?

1 Answer
Feb 26, 2017

See the entire simplification process below:

Explanation:

First, rewrite this expression as:

#(5.184/7.2) xx (10^-5/10^3) = 0.72 xx (10^-5/10^3)#

Now, use this rule of exponents to simplify the 10s terms:

#x^color(red)(a)/x^color(blue)(b) = x^(color(red)(a)-color(blue)(b))#

#0.72 xx (10^color(red)(-5)/10^color(blue)(3)) = 0.72 xx 10^(color(red)(-5)-color(blue)(3)) =#

#0.72 xx 10^-8#

Or

#7.2 xx 10^-9#