The U.S. national debt was $2.9617×10^13 in 2021 and $3.98×10^11 in 1971. Find how much the debt increased in the 50-year period. (1 point)
Responses
$1.0183×10^24
1.0183 dollars times 10 superscript 24 baseline
$3.0015×10^13
3.0015 dollars times 10 superscript 13 baseline
$2.9219×10^13
2.9219 dollars times 10 superscript 13 baseline
$2.9219×10^11
To find the increase in the U.S. national debt over the 50-year period from 1971 to 2021, we need to subtract the debt value in 1971 from the debt value in 2021.
Debt in 2021: $2.9617 × 10^13
Debt in 1971: $3.98 × 10^11
Increase in debt = Debt in 2021 - Debt in 1971
Increase in debt = ($2.9617 × 10^13) - ($3.98 × 10^11)
First, we need to make sure that both numbers have the same exponent so that we can subtract them. To do this, we can express $3.98 × 10^11 as $0.398 × 10^12 (which is the same as moving one decimal place to the left and increasing the exponent by 1 to balance it).
Now let's subtract:
Increase in debt = ($2.9617 × 10^13) - ($0.398 × 10^12)
Since $0.398 × 10^12 is the same as $0.0398 × 10^13, we can now subtract the two numbers directly:
Increase in debt = $2.9617 × 10^13 - $0.0398 × 10^13
Increase in debt = ($2.9617 - $0.0398) × 10^13
Increase in debt = $2.9219 × 10^13
So, the U.S. national debt increased by $2.9219 × 10^13 in the 50-year period from 1971 to 2021.