Lesson 2-8

O Explain It!
Keegan and Jeff did some
ACTIVITY

Use Povwers of
are approximately
and found that there
research 10 to Estimate
7,492,000,000,000,000,000 grains of sand
on Earth. Jeff saysthat it is
about 7x
1015 grains of sand. Quantities
Keegan says that this is about 7x
1018 grains of sand.
Go Online

can...
I

estimate large and small

quantities using a powerof 10.

A. How might Jeff have

determined his estimate? How might
determined his estimate? Keegan have

B. Whose estimate, Jeff's or Keegan's, is more logical? Explain.

Focus on math practices

Be Precise Do you think the two estimates are close in value? Explain your
reasoning.
 Imedia

Quantities
EXAMPLE 1 Estimate Very Large

Janelle is comparing the estimated populations

of Japan and China.The estimated population of

Japan is 126,818,019. The estimated population of

China is shown. How can Janelle compare the two
(Est.)
populations more easily? Population

Use Structure
quantities
You can estimate large
and write them in a format
14029414e7
that is easier to compare.

STEP 2 Compare the estimated values

STEP 1Estimateeach population by rounding to the greatest
place value. Then write the number as a single digit times a 109 > 108
power of 10.
1x 10 > 1x 108
Population of China Population of Japan
Count the Janelle can use estimates sing powers of

1,402,941,487 zeros to 126,818,019

10to compare the populations more easily,
rounds to determine
1,000,000,000 rounds to 100,000,000
thepower
1x 109 of 10. 1x 108

VTry It!

Lighttravels 299,792,458meters per

second.Sound travels at 332 meters per
second. Use a power of 10to compare the
speed of light to the speed of sound.
299,792,458 rounded to the greatest place value 322 rounded to the
greatest place value
is
is
300
There are 2zeros in the rounded number.
There are
zeros in the rounded
The estimated speed of light number.
The estimatedspeed
of sound
isx10meters
2x
per second.
meters per second.
inl2.so thespeed of
3x 10 light is faster than thespeed of
sound.
Convince Me! Country A has a population of
of 1,106,487,394.How 1,238,682,005 and
would you compare these Country
populations?
B has a population

134 2-8 Use Powers of 10 to Estimate OQuantities

EXAMPLE 2 Estimate Very Small Quantities ACTIVITY ASSISS

Matthias used a laser to measure the averagethickness

#a human A sheetof paper is about 0.0013 meter
hair.
0.00017763 meter

thick. How do the two thicknesses compare?

Write the estimated Writethe estimated

thickness of a human hair thickness of a sheet of

using a single digit and a

paper using a single digit
power of 10. and a power of 10.
Round 0.00017763 to 0.0002. Round 0.0013 to 0.001.

Write 0.0002 as 2 x 10-4 Write0.001 as x

1
10-3,

Comparethe estimates.
2x 104<1x10-3
A human hair is thinner than a sheet of paper. malh

EXAMPLE 3 Find How Many Times as Much

How does the Gross DomesticProduct (GDP)of Canada
compare
to that of the United States? Gross Domestic Product

STEP Write each GDP asa single digit Canada $1,785,387,000,000,000

1 times a power of 10.

Canada:1,785,387,000,000,000 USA $17,348,075,000,000,000

2,000,000,000,000,000
=2x 1015
Countthe zeros to determine
the power of 10.

USA: 17,348,075,000,000,000 20,000,000,000,000,000

-2x 1016

STEP 2 Compare the two estimates.

(2x 1016) > (2x 1015)
The U.S. GDP is about 10 times greater than that of Canada.

Try It!
There are approximately 1,020,000,000 cars in the world. The number of cars

in the United States is approximately 239,800,000.

the world to that in the United States.

Compare the number of cars in

2-8 Use Powers of 10 to Estimate Quantities 135

KEY CONCEPT
the number
byrounding digit
small number as a single
You can estimate a very large or very

to then writing that number Very Small Numbers

its greatest place value, and
times a power of 10.
number 0.000000235 0.0000002
Very Large Numbers Countthe
of zeros
to
2-10-7
3,564,879,000 4,000,000,000 the
determine
4X 109 power of 10.
than
The number is less 1, so

the exponent is negative.

The number is greater than 1,

so the exponent is positive.

Do You Understand? DoYou Know How?

1. Essential
powers of
Question When would you
10 to estimate a quantity?
use
4. Use a single
times a power
digit
of

10 to estimate

the height of
wen yo
Mt. Everest to
the nearest ten

thousand feet.

Mt. Everest is
29,035feet tal.
Shol

2. Construct Arguments Kim writes an estimate 5. A mass

scientist records the of a proton as
forthe number 0.00436 as 4 x 10. Explain why
this cannot be correct. 0.0000000000000000000000016726231gram.
Use a single digit times a power of 10 to
estimate the mass.

3. Be Precise Raquel estimated 304,900,000,000 as

6. The tanks atthe Georgia
3x10. What error did she make? Aquarium hold
approximately 8.4 >x 10 gallonsof water. The
tanks atthe Audubon
Aquarium of theAmerice
hold about 400,000gallonsof
water. Use a sit
digit times a power of
10to estimate how may
times greater the amount
of water is atthe
Georgia
Aquarium.

136 2-8 Use Powers of 10toEstimate Quantities

Nate.

Practice & Problem Solving U,

Scan for
Multimedia

.oveled Practice In 7-9,use powers of 10 to estimate quantities.

7A city has a population of 2,549,786 people. 8. Use a single digittimes a power of 10 to

Fstimate this populationto the nearest million. estimate the number 0.00002468.
Express your answer asthe product of a single
of 10. Rounded to the nearest hundred thousandth,
digit anda power

Rounded tothe nearest million, the population

the number is about 0.00Z
is about 3,,oo Writtenas a single digit times a power of ten,

Written as the product of a single digit and

the estimate is 2x 10
power of ten, this number isx 10
a
9. The approximate circumferences of Earth
and Saturnare shown.How many times
greater is the circumferenceof Saturnthan
the circumference of Earth? C= 365,882km

The circumference of Saturn is

C= 4.01× 10 km

Saturn's circumferenceis about O times

greater than the circumference of Earth.

10. Estimate 0.037854921 to the nearest hundredth. 11. Compare the numbers 6 x 10- and 2 x 10-8.
Express your answer as a single digit times a. Which number has the greater value?
a power of ten.

b. Which number hasthe lesser value?

g.ohoo0900)
c. How many times greateris the greater
number?

(9x)0 13. The length of plant cell A is 8x 10-5 meter.

12. Taylor made $43,785 last year. Use a single digit
times power of ten to express this value
a
The length of plant cell B 0.000004 meter.
is

rounded to the nearest ten thousand, How many times greater is plant cell As length
than plant cell B's length?

40,o40

2-8 Use Powers of 10 to Estimate Quantities 137

 o The
15. The populationsrespectively. population
of City
and 1,560,000, population
B.

The diameter of C is twice the

14.critique Reasoning City
C is how many
is shown. Bonnie of City times the
One species of bacteria
this measure as 3x 10
meter. Thepopulation
of City A?
approximates
population
Is she correct? Explain.

312 0ooo
o.00000025691 m

7x

V)Assessment Practice
16. Earth is approximately 5x years
10 old. For which of these ages
could this bean approximation?

4,762,100,000 years

48,000,000,000 years

© 4.45 x 10 years
D 4.249999999 x 10 years

17. PART A
PART B
Express 0.000000298as a single digit
times a power of ten rounded to the how negative
Explain
powers of 10 can be
nearest ten millionth. helpful when
writing and
numbers. comparing small

138 2-8 Use Powers of 10 to Estimate Quantities