mystique2626 Group Title A family refers to two or more people related by marriage,birth, or adoption who reside together. in 2000, in Country A, the average networth of a family was $240,000 and there were about 8.8 * 10 to the seventh power families. Calculate the total networth of a family in 2000 one year ago one year ago • This Question is Closed 1. mystique2626 Group Title I came up with .0027 but I do not think that is right 2. jim_thompson5910 Group Title it says "in 2000, in Country A, the average networth of a family was$240,000 " so the question is asking what's already given...something seems off

3. mystique2626 Group Title

I typed it as it was written, I have to use scientific notation and round to the nearest tenth as needed $\frac{ 2.4*10^{5} }{ ?8.8*10^{7} }$

4. jim_thompson5910 Group Title

i see how you got 0.0027, but the problem doesn't make sense. It gives you the net worth, but asks you what the net worth is.

5. mystique2626 Group Title

Then I came up with $2.7\times10^{-2}$

6. mystique2626 Group Title

I see what you are saying about that as well Im so lost lol

7. jim_thompson5910 Group Title

$\frac{ 2.4*10^{5} }{ 8.8*10^{7} } = \frac{2.4}{8.8} \times 10^{5-7}$ $\frac{ 2.4*10^{5} }{ 8.8*10^{7} } = 0.27 \times 10^{-2}$ $\frac{ 2.4*10^{5} }{ 8.8*10^{7} } = (2.7 \times 10^{-1}) \times 10^{-2}$ $\frac{ 2.4*10^{5} }{ 8.8*10^{7} } = 2.7 \times 10^{-1-2}$ $\frac{ 2.4*10^{5} }{ 8.8*10^{7} } = 2.7 \times 10^{-3}$

8. jim_thompson5910 Group Title

but I doubt that's what you're looking for since they want the net worth

9. mystique2626 Group Title

I am not sure where you came up with the 2.7 x $10^{-1-2}$ because my examples from other problems just subtract straight down

10. jim_thompson5910 Group Title

I'm adding the exponents because I'm multiplying 10^(-1) and 10^(-2)

11. jim_thompson5910 Group Title

-1 + (-2) = -1 - 2

12. mystique2626 Group Title

No I get that part, what I do not get is where the $10^{-1}$ even came from????

13. jim_thompson5910 Group Title

oh 0.27 = 2.7 x 10^(-1)

14. mystique2626 Group Title

Well almost I am pretty sure that if you take the original equation and then

15. mystique2626 Group Title

divide the parts seperately it equals $2.7\times10^{-2}$

16. jim_thompson5910 Group Title

the answer is 0.0027, which in scientific notation is 2.7 x 10^(-3)

17. jim_thompson5910 Group Title

so you're missing that 10^(-1)

18. jim_thompson5910 Group Title

well i mean $\frac{ 2.4*10^{5} }{ 8.8*10^{7} } = 0.0027$

19. mystique2626 Group Title

So Country A's total family net worth is .0027 dollars?

20. jim_thompson5910 Group Title

problem is...that makes no sense whatsoever

21. jim_thompson5910 Group Title

if that was true, then this is the poorest country ever (and I mean really poor)

22. mystique2626 Group Title

lol now you see my confusion

23. jim_thompson5910 Group Title

yeah this problem is just messed up

24. jim_thompson5910 Group Title

I'm sry

25. ChmE Group Title

maybe it is asking for the total networth of all the families combined.?

26. jim_thompson5910 Group Title

hmm good point, but it says Calculate the total networth of A FAMILY in 2000 so idk

27. ChmE Group Title

I see the confusion. The problem is worded funny. It is your choice, finding the total seems more logical to me. As we are told in engineering, if you state your assumption you can not be wrong, haha. So state I am assuming they are asking for the total networth of all families. haha

28. ChmE Group Title

I don't like this problem ultimately.

29. jim_thompson5910 Group Title

same here

30. mystique2626 Group Title

Is it maybe asking that i use the scientific notation of simplifying the $240,000 down to 2.4 x $10^{5}$ 31. jim_thompson5910 Group Title I'd just say the answer is$240,000...that's what they're asking for

32. jim_thompson5910 Group Title

sure you can write the answer in sci notation if you want

33. mystique2626 Group Title

Thank you to you both, I'm simply going to show the work and then explain where the word problem became confusing as to what it was asking for.

34. jim_thompson5910 Group Title

np

35. lganesh Group Title

The problem does not make meaning something is missing

36. mystique2626 Group Title

That is the entire problem. and then it says Country A's total family net worth is ____ dollars? (use scientific notation, and round to the nearest tenth as needed

37. mystique2626 Group Title

well the answer ended up being $2.1\times10^{13}$

38. jim_thompson5910 Group Title

hmm there's probably some formula used to get that...not sure which one