Mastering Addition and Subtraction in Scientific Notation

A scientist measures the mass of a small asteroid as 3.2 x 10^12 kg and another asteroid as 1.5 x 10^12 kg. What is the total mass of both asteroids in scientific notation?

• 4.2 x 10^12 kg

• 3.7 x 10^12 kg

• 5.0 x 10^12 kg

• 4.7 x 10^12 kg

A researcher finds that a certain bacteria population is 4.5 x 10^6. After a week, the population decreases to 2.3 x 10^6 due to a treatment. What is the change in the bacteria population in scientific notation?

• 1.5 x 10^6

• 3.0 x 10^6

• 2.2 x 10^6

• 4.0 x 10^6

The distance from Earth to a nearby star is approximately 4.2 x 10^16 meters, while the distance to another star is 3.8 x 10^16 meters. How much farther is the first star compared to the second in scientific notation?

• 5.0 x 10^15

• 4.5 x 10^16

• 4.0 x 10^15

• 3.5 x 10^15

A car travels 1.2 x 10^5 meters in the first hour and 3.4 x 10^5 meters in the second hour. What is the total distance traveled by the car in scientific notation?

• 4.6 x 10^5

• 3.6 x 10^5

• 5.0 x 10^5

• 4.0 x 10^5

A factory produces 5.6 x 10^4 toys in January and 3.2 x 10^4 toys in February. How many toys did the factory produce in total over these two months in scientific notation?

• 6.4 x 10^4

• 8.8 x 10^4

• 9.6 x 10^4

• 7.2 x 10^4

An oceanographer measures the depth of the ocean at one point as 2.5 x 10^4 meters and at another point as 1.1 x 10^4 meters. What is the difference in depth between the two points in scientific notation?

• 1.6 x 10^4 meters

• 3.6 x 10^4 meters

• 2.0 x 10^4 meters

• 1.4 x 10^4 meters

A satellite orbits Earth at a height of 3.0 x 10^7 meters. If another satellite orbits at a height of 1.5 x 10^7 meters, how much higher is the first satellite in scientific notation?

• 2.0 x 10^7 meters

• 1.0 x 10^7 meters

• 1.5 x 10^7 meters

• 3.0 x 10^7 meters

A biologist records the weight of a sample of bacteria as 2.0 x 10^-3 grams and another sample as 5.0 x 10^-4 grams. What is the total weight of both samples in scientific notation?

• 2.5 x 10^-3 grams

• 3.0 x 10^-3 grams

• 1.5 x 10^-3 grams

• 5.5 x 10^-4 grams

A space probe travels 6.7 x 10^8 kilometers to reach a distant planet and then travels back 6.0 x 10^8 kilometers. What is the total distance traveled by the probe in scientific notation?

• 1.0 x 10^9 kilometers

• 1.27 x 10^9 kilometers

• 1.3 x 10^9 kilometers

• 6.7 x 10^8 kilometers

A chemist combines two solutions, one with a concentration of 3.0 x 10^-2 M and another with 1.5 x 10^-2 M. What is the total concentration of the combined solutions in scientific notation?

• 4.5 x 10^-2 M

• 5.0 x 10^-2 M

• 2.5 x 10^-2 M

• 3.5 x 10^-2 M