17. Which number is equal to 2.7 x 10⁻³?
Answer: B
0.0027
The number equal to 2.7 x 10⁻³ is 0.0027. This can be understood by recognizing that multiplying 2.7 by 10 raised to the power of -3 shifts the decimal point three places to the left.
A) 0.027
0.027 is incorrect because it represents 2.7 x 10⁻², which is equivalent to moving the decimal point two places to the left, not three as required for the expression 2.7 x 10⁻³.
B) 0.0027
0.0027 is the correct answer, as it accurately reflects the value of 2.7 x 10⁻³. By moving the decimal point three places to the left from 2.7, we arrive at 0.0027.
C) 0.00027
0.00027 is incorrect because it represents 2.7 x 10⁻⁴, indicating that the decimal point has been moved four places to the left instead of three as needed for 2.7 x 10⁻³.
D) 2700
2700 is incorrect as it suggests a value that is three orders of magnitude larger than the original number. It incorrectly represents 2.7 x 10², which is not related to the expression 2.7 x 10⁻³.
Conclusion
0.0027 is definitively the correct answer for the expression 2.7 x 10⁻³, as it accurately reflects the movement of the decimal point three spaces to the left. All other options misinterpret the exponent or decimal placement, confirming their inaccuracies.