Question

see the news clipping below. write your answers in standard form, rounded to the nearest whole number.
in the news!
“green” banking has far - reaching effects
banking and paying bills online not only saves trees; it cuts down on the amount of fuel used by vehicles that transport paper checks. according to javelin strategy and research, if every household in the united states paid its bills online, solid waste would be reduced by 1.6 billion tons a year and greenhouse - gas emissions would be cut by 2.1 million tons a year.
source: time, april 9, 2008
(a) find the reduction in solid waste per month (in tons) if every u.s. household viewed and paid its bills online.
(b) find the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions per month (in tons) if every u.s. household viewed and paid its bills online.
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Explanation:

Step1: Convert billion to standard form

1 billion = 1000000000, so 1.6 billion = 1.6×1000000000 = 1600000000 tons per year for solid - waste reduction.

Step2: Calculate monthly solid - waste reduction

To find the monthly reduction, divide the annual reduction by 12. Let $x$ be the monthly solid - waste reduction. Then $x=\frac{1600000000}{12}\approx133333333$ tons.

Step3: Convert million to standard form

1 million = 1000000, so 2.1 million = 2.1×1000000 = 2100000 tons per year for greenhouse - gas emission reduction.

Step4: Calculate monthly greenhouse - gas emission reduction

Let $y$ be the monthly greenhouse - gas emission reduction. Then $y = \frac{2100000}{12}=175000$ tons.

Answer:

(a) 133333333 tons
(b) 175000 tons