How do you simplify $(1.6times10^-5)(2.3times10^-3)$ ?

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Answer 1 · 2017-05-13T18:06:27

See a solution process below:

First, rewrite the expression as:

$(1.6 xx 2.3)(10^-5 xx 10^-3) => 3.68(10^-5 xx 10^-3)$

We can now use this rule of exponents to simplify the 10s terms:

$x^color(red)(a) xx x^color(blue)(b) => x^(color(red)(a) + color(blue)(b))$

$3.68(10^color(red)(-5) xx 10^color(blue)(-3) => 3.68 xx 10^(color(red)(-5) + color(blue)(-3)) =>$

$3.68 xx 10^-8$

How do you simplify (1.6times10^-5)(2.3times10^-3)(1.6times10^-5)(2.3times10^-3)?