Question

How many times smaller is 2 × 10^9 than 4 × 10^6? A. 20,000 B. 200,000 C. 200 D. 2,000

Answer 1

To find this, we have to find a value x such that 2*10^9 * x = 4*10^6. This is so that if we find x, 2*10^9 is x times smaller than 4*10^6. Then, using the multiplicative property of equality, we can divide both sides by 2*10^9 (to separate x) to get 4*10^6/2*10^9=x. Since 4/2=2 and 10^6/10^9=1/10^3 (since for every power of 10, we add 1, so we have 10*10*10*10*10*10/(10^6)*(10^3) and the 10^6’s therefore cross out), our answer is 2/10^3=2/1,000. However, this is clearly not the answer we’re looking for, and even if we find out how many times larger 2*10^9 is than 4*10^6 by switching the denominator and numerator, we end up with 500. Thus, you must have entered something wrong.

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