How do you simplify #\frac { 2\times 10^ { - 6} } { 1\times 10^ { - 17} }#?

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Answer 1 · 2017-10-09T10:49:03

See a solution process below:

First, rewrite the expression as:

#(2/1) xx (10^-6)/(10^-17) =>#

#2 xx (10^-6)/(10^-17)#

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))#

#2 xx (10^color(red)(-6))/(10^color(blue)(-17)) =>#

#2 xx 10^(color(red)(-6) - color(blue)(-17)) =>#

#2 xx 10^(color(red)(-6) + color(blue)(17)) =>#

#2 xx 10^11#