Scientific Notation Story Problems

The mean distance from the sun to Earth is 9.29 x 10⁷ miles. Jupiter's mean distance from the sun is 4.8388 x 10⁸ miles. What is the difference between these two distances in miles? 

• 4.3092 x 10¹
• 3.9098 x 10⁷
• 3.9098 x 10⁸
• 5.7678 x 10⁸

The dimensions of an office building are 1.5 x 10² feet by 1.35 x 10³ feet. What is the perimeter of the base of the building, in feet? 

• 1.50 x 10³
• 2.85 x 10 ⁵
• 3.00 x 10 ³
• 5.70 x 10 ⁵

A microgram is equal to 1 x 10 ^-6 grams. How many times greater than a microgram is 1 x 10² grams? 

• 1 x 10^-8
• 1 x 10^-4
• 1 x 10⁴
• 1 x 10⁸

A computer's hard disk drive holds 8 x 10⁷ bytes of information.  If Jill buys an extra memory stick that holds 3 x 10⁶ bytes of information, how much memory will the computer hold?

• 11 x 10¹³
• 11 x 10⁷
• 8.3 x 10¹³
• 8.3 x 10⁷

The Diplodocus dinosaur is believed to have become extinct approximately 1.38x10⁸ years ago.  The Oviraptor is believed to have become extinct approximately 7x10⁷ years ago.  How many years were there between the extinction of these two dinosaur types?

• 6.8 x 10⁸
• 6.8 x 10⁹
• 68 x 10⁸
• 6.8 x 10⁷

The US spends an average of 1.02x10⁴ dollars on each student per year.  There are about 7.6x10⁷ students in the US.  About how much money total is spent on students per year?

• 7.752 x 10¹¹
• 7.752 x 10²⁸
• 8.62 x 10¹¹
• 8.62 x 10²⁸

As part of a community service project, a class planted 7x10⁵  trees in a year.  If there are 3.5x10³ students in the school, how many trees did each student plant?

• 2 x 10⁸
• 2 x 10²
• 3.5 x 10⁸
• 3.5 x 10²

The distance from the sun to the Andromeda galaxy is 1.2 x 10¹⁹ miles. Light travels at a speed of 5.88 x 10¹² miles per year (called a light-year). How long does it take light from the sun to the Andromeda galaxy?

• 2.04 x 10⁶ years
• 2.04 x 10⁷ years
• 7.056 x 10²¹ years
• 7.056 x 10⁷ years

The mass of he sun is 1.989 x 10³⁰ kilograms. The mass of the earth is 5.98 x 10²⁴ kilograms. How many times bigger is the sun than the earth?

• 3.326 x 10⁵
• 3.326 x 10⁶
• 1.99 x 10³⁰
• 1.99 x 10⁶

Total health care costs in the United States in 2016 was $1.7 trillion. he US population was 290.9 million. What was the average amount spent per person on health care?

• $5844
• $584.40
• $58.40
• $58440