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Here’s a boring, unshmoopy question you’ll find on the exam…
Which of the following numbers is the largest: Here are the potential answers…
So… in this scientific notation problem, there are a few we can rule out real quick.
Note that A and B are taken to the NEGATIVE power of 2…
…which means that they are small numbers…
…even though in A’s case, it starts out with a big fat 12 to the left of the decimal.
That negative exponent means there’s going to be some shrinkage.
So that leaves us with C and D.
In this case, both are only 10 squared, which we know is 100.
So for C, we have 1.23 x 100, which is just 123.
And in option D, 0.123 times 10 squared means that we shift the decimal two places to the
right to get 12.3.
So C is bigger and yep, that’s the answer. Now if you’ll excuse us, we’re going to
try consoling options A and B.
They have positive exponent envy.