Question

question 24 of 25
what is 7.04 trillion in scientific notation?
a. 7.04 • 10¹²
b. 7.04 • 10¹⁵
c. 7.04 • 10⁶
d. 7.04 • 10⁹

Explanation:

Step1: Recall the definition of trillion

In the standard numbering system, 1 trillion is equal to \( 10^{12} \). This is because:

• 1 million is \( 10^{6} \), 1 billion is \( 10^{9} \), and 1 trillion is \( 10^{12} \) (each "illion" step increases the exponent by 3: from million (\(10^6\)) to billion (\(10^9\)) is \(10^{6 + 3}\), from billion to trillion is \(10^{9+3}=10^{12}\)).

Step2: Convert 7.04 trillion to scientific notation

To write 7.04 trillion in scientific notation, we start with the number 7.04 and multiply it by the power of 10 corresponding to trillion. Since 1 trillion \( = 10^{12}\), we have:
\( 7.04 \text{ trillion} = 7.04\times10^{12} \)
We can check the other options:

• Option B: \( 10^{15} \) corresponds to a quadrillion (since \(10^{12}\) is trillion, \(10^{12 + 3}=10^{15}\) is quadrillion), so this is incorrect.
• Option C: \( 10^{6} \) is a million, so \(7.04\times10^{6}\) is 7.04 million, not trillion.
• Option D: \( 10^{9} \) is a billion, so \(7.04\times10^{9}\) is 7.04 billion, not trillion.

Answer:

A. \( 7.04 \cdot 10^{12} \)