Numbers in Science

What is the average number of persons per state if the United States population is currently 260,000,000? Express your answer in scientific and EE notation to the correct number of significant figures.

Solution:

 5.2 x 10⁶,   5.2 EE 6

Sketch:

Keep in mind the correct use of significant figures, which in this case is 2. There are exactly 50 states. When exact numbers are used, they do not affect the significant figures. Only measured/non-exact numbers affect sig figs. The population of the United States is likely an approximation with only 2 sig figs, so the answer will have 2 sig figs as well.

The average is computed by taking the total population and dividing by the number of states to get the number of persons per state.

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Developed by

Shodor
in cooperation with the Department of Chemistry,
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Another Problem 2

Question:

Solution: 5.2 x 106, 5.2 EE 6 Sketch:

Solution:
5.2 x 10⁶, 5.2 EE 6

Sketch: