Question

The resolving power of a microscope is described as the ability of the microscope to

Answer 1

The resolving power of a microscope is described as the ability of the microscope to differentiate between two nearby points. 

Basically, a low resolution means that two dots close to one another will look like one blob, whilst a high resolution means that the two separate dots will be distinct. 
So Ideally, you want a microscope with a high resolution.