How do you simplify $(5 × 10^8)^(–2)$ in scientific notation?

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Answer 1 · 2016-07-18T21:58:59

$4 xx 10^-18$

Get rid of the brackets by using the power law of indices:

$5^-2 xx10^-16$

Get rid of the negative indices using: $" "x^-m = 1/x^m$

$1/(5^2 xx 10^16$

= $1/(25 xx 10^16)$

= $1/(2.5 xx 10 xx 10^16)$

= $1/(2.5 xx 10^17)" but "1/2.5 = 10/25 = 0.4$

= $0.4 xx 10^-17$

= $4 xx 10^-18$

How do you simplify (5 × 10^8)^(–2)(5 × 10^8)^(–2) in scientific notation?