TrixieB Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 (edited) I don't understand the answer to this problem. It's from Aufmann's Prealgebra (Chalkdust for Le$$), p. 356 #61d. -6.81 x 10^-24 is > or < than -9.37 x 10^-25? (the ^ sign represents an exponent, so in words: -6.81 x 10 to the -24 power) The book says the answer is <. I don't understand why. Can anyone explain this? ETA: Never mind. Dh just explained this to me. I don't know why I couldn't wrap my brain around it earlier. I must be getting old. :glare: Or I need a vacation or something. Edited May 12, 2011 by TrixieB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan C. Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 I don't understand the answer to this problem. It's from Aufmann's Prealgebra (Chalkdust for Le$$), p. 356 #61d. -6.81 x 10^-24 is > or < than -9.37 x 10^-25? (the ^ sign represents an exponent, so in words: -6.81 x 10 to the -24 power) The book says the answer is <. I don't understand why. Can anyone explain this? 1st, get rid of 10^-24 on both sides. then you get -6.81 < -0.937 remember, negatives are reversed, -0.937 is more than -6.81 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrixieB Posted May 12, 2011 Author Share Posted May 12, 2011 1st, get rid of 10^-24 on both sides.then you get -6.81 < -0.937 remember, negatives are reversed, -0.937 is more than -6.81 I like your explanation! It's much easier to understand than dh's. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gailmegan Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 -6.81 x 10^-24 is > or < than -9.37 x 10^-25? This means we compare -6.81 x 1/10^24 and -9.37 x 1/10^25 same as comparing -6.81 x .000000000000000000000001 and -9.37 X .0000000000000000000000001 or -.0000000000000000000000681 and -.00000000000000000000000937 Does that help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HistoryMom Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 That's a weird one. If you reduce those exponents a little, it's easier to see. -6.81 x 10^-2 (< or >) -9.37 x 10^-3 -0.0681 (< or >) -0.00937 On a number line, you can see that -0.00937 is larger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gailmegan Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 1st, get rid of 10^-24 on both sides.then you get -6.81 < -0.937 remember, negatives are reversed, -0.937 is more than -6.81 Yeah, I guess I could have explained it that way. LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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