Which of the following best describes the purpose and representation of scientific notation?

• A. It is used to convert numbers into fractions for easier calculation.
• B. It is a way to represent numbers using only whole numbers and no exponents.
• C. It is a method for rounding numbers to the nearest whole number.
• D. It is used to express very large or very small numbers in the form a × 10^n, where 1 ≤ a < 10 and n is an integer.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that scientific notation is a way to express numbers that are very large or very small in a compact form.
2. Recognize that in scientific notation, a number is written as \(a \times 10^{n}\), where \(a\) is a number such that \$1 \leq a < 10\(, and \)n$ is an integer exponent.
3. Know that the exponent \(n\) indicates how many times the base 10 is multiplied (if \(n\) is positive) or divided (if \(n\) is negative) to get the original number.
4. Realize that this notation helps simplify calculations and comparisons by standardizing the format of numbers regardless of their size.
5. Conclude that scientific notation is not about converting numbers into fractions, avoiding exponents, or rounding, but specifically about expressing numbers in the form \(a \times 10^{n}\) for clarity and convenience.