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# If 0.0015*10^m/0.03*10^k=5*10^7, then m - k =

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If 0.0015*10^m/0.03*10^k=5*10^7, then m - k = [#permalink]

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31 Dec 2012, 05:41
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If $$\frac{0.0015*10^m}{0.03*10^k}=5*10^7$$, then m - k =

(A) 9
(B) 8
(C) 7
(D) 6
(E) 5
[Reveal] Spoiler: OA
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Re: If 0.0015*10^m/0.03*10^k=5*10^7, then m - k = [#permalink]

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31 Dec 2012, 05:45
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If $$\frac{0.0015*10^m}{0.03*10^k}=5*10^7$$, then m - k =

(A) 9
(B) 8
(C) 7
(D) 6
(E) 5

$$\frac{0.0015*10^m}{0.03*10^k}=5*10^7$$;

$$\frac{15*10^{-4}*10^m}{3*10^{-2}*10^k}=5*10^7$$;

$$5*\frac{10^{m-4}}{10^{k-2}}=5*10^7$$;

$$10^{(m-4)-(k-2)}=10^7$$;

$$(m-4)-(k-2)=7$$;

$$m-k=9$$.

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Re: If 0.0015*10^m/0.03*10^k=5*10^7, then m - k = [#permalink]

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31 Dec 2012, 07:24
If $$\frac{0.0015*10^m}{0.03*10^k}=5*10^7$$, then m - k =

(A) 9
(B) 8
(C) 7
(D) 6
(E) 5

Rearrange the decimals : (15*10^-4*10^m)/(3*10^-2*10^k) = 5*10^7

After adjusting and cancelling 5 from each side : 10^(m-k-2) = 10^7
=> m-k-2=7 => m-k = 9
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Re: If 0.0015*10^m/0.03*10^k=5*10^7, then m - k = [#permalink]

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03 Jan 2013, 13:49
rewrite the expression like this:

15(10)^-4 (10)^m / 3(10)^-2 (10)^k = 5(10)^7

When you simplify the expression you are left with: (10)^m / (10)^k = 10^9

Therefore m-k = 9
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Re: If 0.0015*10^m/0.03*10^k=5*10^7, then m - k = [#permalink]

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14 Jul 2013, 15:50
I solved this question by cross multiplying.

15*10^-4m=15*10^-14k
-4m-14k=0
-4(7)-14(-2)=0
-28+28=0
m-k
7-(-2)= 9

sambam wrote:
rewrite the expression like this:

15(10)^-4 (10)^m / 3(10)^-2 (10)^k = 5(10)^7

When you simplify the expression you are left with: (10)^m / (10)^k = 10^9

Therefore m-k = 9
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Posts: 27
Re: If 0.0015*10^m/0.03*10^k=5*10^7, then m - k = [#permalink]

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26 Jul 2013, 23:11
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josemnz83 wrote:
I solved this question by cross multiplying.

15*10^-4m=15*10^-14k
-4m-14k=0
-4(7)-14(-2)=0
-28+28=0
m-k
7-(-2)= 9

Hello josemnz84 - I was looking at the alternate ways to solve this problem and I don't quite understand what you did here. Can you please explain? Specifically how did you get $$10^{-14k}$$. I feel this is incorrect, but please correct me if my calculations are off.

If you want to cross multiply, the problem would be done this way:

$$\frac{15*10^{-4 + m}}{3*10^{-2+k}} = 5*10^7$$

$$15*10^{-4 + m}=15*10^{5 + k}$$ - when you multiple powers of 10, you multiply the whole numbers and add the powers of 10 (you seemed to have multiplied the exponents rather than adding to get 10^-14 in your answer). See this: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/m ... ation.html

After cancelling out the "15 x 10^" (essentially 10^1) from both sides, you are left with:

$$-4 + m = 5 + k$$

$$m - k = 5 + 4$$

$$m - k = 9$$

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Re: If 0.0015*10^m/0.03*10^k=5*10^7, then m - k = [#permalink]

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26 Feb 2014, 02:42
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Removing decimal point & solving ahead,

5 . 10^(m+2-4-k) = 5 . 10^7

Equating , m-k = 9 = Answer = A
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Re: If 0.0015*10^m/0.03*10^k=5*10^7, then m - k = [#permalink]

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10 May 2016, 07:11
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Expert's post
If $$\frac{0.0015*10^m}{0.03*10^k}=5*10^7$$, then m - k =

(A) 9
(B) 8
(C) 7
(D) 6
(E) 5

We start by simplifying the numerator and denominator of the given fraction. First, we simplify the numerator:

(0.0015)(10^m)

It will be helpful to convert 0.0015 to an integer. To do so we must move the decimal point in 0.0015 four places to the right. Since we are making 0.0015 larger by four decimal places we must make 10^m, smaller by four decimal places. Thus, 10^m now becomes 10^(m-4). Thus, the numerator becomes (15)(10^(m-4)).

Next we can simplify the denominator:

(0.03)(10^k)

It will be helpful to convert 0.03 to an integer. To do so we must move the decimal point in 0.03 two places to the right. Since we are making 0.03 larger by two decimal places we must make 10^k, smaller by two decimal places. Thus, 10^k now becomes 10^(k-2). The denominator can thus be re-expressed as (3)(10^(k-2)).

So now we are left with:

[(15)(10^(m-4))]/[(3)(10^(k-2))] = 5(10^7)

Dividing 15 by 3 on the left hand side of the equation, we have 15/3 = 5. Recall that when we divide powers of like bases, we subtract the exponents, so 10^(m-4)/10^(k-2) =
10^((m-4) – (k-2)) = 10^(m-k-2). Therefore, we have

5(10^(m-k-2)) = (5)(10^7)

5 will cancel out from both sides of the equation, leaving us with:

10^(m-k-2)=10^7

Because we are left with a base of 10 on both the right-hand side and the left-hand side of the equation, we can drop the base and set the exponents equal and hence determine the value of m – k:

m – k – 2 = 7

m – k = 9

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Re: If 0.0015*10^m/0.03*10^k=5*10^7, then m - k = [#permalink]

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30 Nov 2016, 17:56
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Top Contributor
If $$\frac{0.0015*10^m}{0.03*10^k}=5*10^7$$, then m - k =

(A) 9
(B) 8
(C) 7
(D) 6
(E) 5

Another approach is to assign k a "nice" value.

Let's see what happens when k = 0

We get: (0.0015 x 10^m) / (0.03 x 10^0) = 5 x 10^7

Simplify: (0.0015 x 10^m) / (0.03 x 1) = 5 x 10^7

Simplify: (0.0015 x 10^m) / (0.03) = 5 x 10^7

Multiply both sides by 0.03 to get: 0.0015 x 10^m = 0.15 x 10^7

Eliminate blue decimals by multiplying both sides by 10,000 to get: 15 x 10^m = 1500 x 10^7

Divide both sides by 15 to get: 1 x 10^m = 100 x 10^7

Rewrite 100 as 10^2: 1 x 10^m = 10^2 x 10^7

Simplify: 10^m = 10^9

So, m = 9

In other words, when k = 0, m = 9
So, m - k = 9 - 0 = 9

Cheers,
Brent
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If 0.0015*10^m/0.03*10^k=5*10^7, then m - k = [#permalink]

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11 Mar 2018, 02:29
Bunuel wrote:
If $$\frac{0.0015*10^m}{0.03*10^k}=5*10^7$$, then m - k =

(A) 9
(B) 8
(C) 7
(D) 6
(E) 5

$$\frac{0.0015*10^m}{0.03*10^k}=5*10^7$$;

$$\frac{15*10^{-4}*10^m}{3*10^{-2}*10^k}=5*10^7$$;

$$5*\frac{10^{m-4}}{10^{k-2}}=5*10^7$$;

$$10^{(m-4)-(k-2)}=10^7$$;

$$(m-4)-(k-2)=7$$;

$$m-k=9$$.

Why So Complicated, Keep it simple bro.

$$\frac{0.0015*10^m}{0.03*10^k}=5*10^7$$;

$$\frac{15}{10000} * \frac{100}{3} * {10^{m-k} = 5*10^7$$;

$$\frac{5}{100} * {10^{m-k} = 5*10^7$$ ;

$${10^{m-k-2} = 10^7$$ ;

$$m-k = 9$$ ;
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If 0.0015*10^m/0.03*10^k=5*10^7, then m - k = [#permalink]

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21 Mar 2018, 12:35
If $$\frac{0.0015*10^m}{0.03*10^k}=5*10^7$$, then m - k =

(A) 9
(B) 8
(C) 7
(D) 6
(E) 5

generis please tell me if my solution is correct, i got 9 but negative 9 where am i wrong

$$\frac{0.0015*10^m}{0.03*10^k}=5*10^7$$ multiply 0.0015 by 10^m and 0.03 by 10^k

$$\frac{0.015*10^m}{0.3*10^k}=5*10^7$$ now divide $$0.015^m$$ by $$0.3^k$$

$$0.05^{m-k}$$ =$$5*10^7$$ now i need to convert this $$5*10^7$$ into 0.05 to have the same base

$$0.05^{m-k}$$ =$$0.05^{-9}$$ now equate bases

$$m-k$$ =$$-9$$
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If 0.0015*10^m/0.03*10^k=5*10^7, then m - k = [#permalink]

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21 Mar 2018, 14:28
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dave13 wrote:
If $$\frac{0.0015*10^m}{0.03*10^k}=5*10^7$$, then m - k =

(A) 9
(B) 8
(C) 7
(D) 6
(E) 5

generis please tell me if my solution is correct, i got 9 but negative 9 where am i wrong

$$\frac{0.0015*10^m}{0.03*10^k}=5*10^7$$ multiply 0.0015 by 10^m and 0.03 by 10^k

$$\frac{0.015*10^m}{0.3*10^k}=5*10^7$$ now divide $$0.015^m$$ by $$0.3^k$$

$$0.05^{m-k}$$ =$$5*10^7$$ now i need to convert this $$5*10^7$$ into 0.05 to have the same base

$$0.05^{m-k}$$ = $$0.05^{-9}$$ now equate bases

$$m-k$$ =$$-9$$

dave13 Wow - SO close.

Your arithmetic is hard! Despite that degree of difficulty, you had everything correct until the highlight.

How did you get from
$$5 * 10^7$$ to $$.05 * 10^{-9}$$?
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If 0.0015*10^m/0.03*10^k=5*10^7, then m - k = [#permalink]

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21 Mar 2018, 15:01
generis wrote:
dave13 wrote:
If $$\frac{0.0015*10^m}{0.03*10^k}=5*10^7$$, then m - k =

(A) 9
(B) 8
(C) 7
(D) 6
(E) 5

generis please tell me if my solution is correct, i got 9 but negative 9 where am i wrong

$$\frac{0.0015*10^m}{0.03*10^k}=5*10^7$$ multiply 0.0015 by 10^m and 0.03 by 10^k

$$\frac{0.015*10^m}{0.3*10^k}=5*10^7$$ now divide $$0.015^m$$ by $$0.3^k$$

$$0.05^{m-k}$$ =$$5*10^7$$ now i need to convert this $$5*10^7$$ into 0.05 to have the same base

$$0.05^{m-k}$$ = $$0.05^{-9}$$ now equate bases

$$m-k$$ =$$-9$$

dave13 Wow - SO close.

Your arithmetic is hard! Despite that degree of difficulty, you had everything correct until the highlight.

How did you get from
$$5 * 10^7$$ to $$.05 * 10^{-9}$$?

generis great to hear from you many thanks for your question i am happy to respond

$$5 * 10^7$$ to $$.05 * 10^{-9}$$?

$$5 * 10^7$$ means 5+7 zeros --> 50 000 000 so now i need to get 0.05 so i move 9 decimal points left

If i am doing something wrong here $$0.05^{m-k}$$ = $$0.05^{-9}$$ - than how to equate bases?
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If 0.0015*10^m/0.03*10^k=5*10^7, then m - k = [#permalink]

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22 Mar 2018, 01:26
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dave13 wrote:

generis great to hear from you many thanks for your question i am happy to respond

$$5 * 10^7$$ to $$.05 * 10^{-9}$$?

$$5 * 10^7$$ means 5+7 zeros --> 50 000 000 so now i need to get 0.05 so i move 9 decimal points left

if i am doing something wrong here $$0.05^{m-k}$$ = $$0.05^{-9}$$ - than how to equate bases?

Hey dave13 ,

As mentioned by generis , your calculation is incorrect here : $$5 * 10^7$$ to $$.05 * 10^{-9}$$.

When you are converting 5 to 0.05, it means you are multiplying and dividing 5 with 100. That means 5/100 would become 0.05 and two extra zeros at the top(when you multiplied by 100) will be added to 7, thereby giving you 9.

Hence, your conversion will be $$5 * 10^7$$ to $$.05 * 10^{9}$$.

Does that make sense?
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If 0.0015*10^m/0.03*10^k=5*10^7, then m - k = [#permalink]

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22 Mar 2018, 08:26
generis wrote:
dave13 wrote:
generis please tell me if my solution is correct, i got 9 but negative 9 where am i wrong . . .

$$0.05^{m-k}$$ =$$5*10^7$$ now i need to convert this $$5*10^7$$ into 0.05 to have the same base

$$0.05^{m-k}$$ = $$0.05^{-9}$$ now equate bases

$$m-k$$ =$$-9$$

dave13 Wow - SO close.

Your arithmetic is hard! Despite that degree of difficulty, you had everything correct until the highlight.

How did you get from
$$5 * 10^7$$ to $$.05 * 10^{-9}$$?

dave13 wrote:
generis great to hear from you many thanks for your question i am happy to respond

$$5 * 10^7$$ to $$.05 * 10^{-9}$$?

$$5 * 10^7$$ means 5+7 zeros --> 50 000 000 so now i need to get 0.05 so i move 9 decimal points left

if i am doing something wrong here $$0.05^{m-k}$$ = $$0.05^{-9}$$ - than how to equate bases?

dave13 - Whoops! Opposite direction. Now I see what happened.

You say that $$.05 * 10^{-9} = 50,000,000$$
But if I move 9 decimal digits to the left, with 50,000,000, I get
.050000000. That is not correct. LHS now = .05 (that's all - zeros to right of 5 don't matter)
In fact, $$.05 * 10^{-9}= .000000005$$
It's an easy and common mistake.

We need to ask, how do I write .05 so that it equals 50,000,000?
(.05 times WHAT = 50,000,000?)
$$.05 * x = 50,000,000?$$
.05: as abhimahna mentions, move the decimal 9 places to the right = 50,000,000, so
RHS:$$.05 * 10^9 = 50,000,000$$

I'm going back to this formulation of yours for LHS:
$$\frac{0.015*10^m}{0.3*10^k}$$
Divide decimals first, then 10s.
$$\frac{.015}{.3} =.05$$
$$\frac{10^m}{10^k} = 10^{m-k}$$

LHS altogether is $$.05 * 10^{m-k}$$
So now you have
$$0.05 * 10 ^{m-k}$$ = $$0 .05 * 10^9$$
$$m - k = 9$$

I have an idea that might work better.
Try to change things into integer bases. JMO, but it's easier.

So when you get to $$.05 * 10^{(m-k)}$$
Use powers of 10 to change .05 to 5, so that LHS (5) = RHS(5)
$$.05 = 5 * 10^{-2}$$
Whole thing now is:
$$5 * 10^{-2} * 10^{(m-k)} = 5 * 10^7$$

Consolidate powers of 10 on LHS
Thus: $$5 * 10^{(m-k-2)} = 5 * 10^7$$
Now equate powers of 10 . . . see what you get.

Convert bases to integers, IMO. It's easier to keep track of direction.
You did just fine.
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Re: If 0.0015*10^m/0.03*10^k=5*10^7, then m - k = [#permalink]

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22 Mar 2018, 08:39
abhimahna wrote:
dave13 wrote:

generis great to hear from you many thanks for your question i am happy to respond

$$5 * 10^7$$ to $$.05 * 10^{-9}$$?

$$5 * 10^7$$ means 5+7 zeros --> 50 000 000 so now i need to get 0.05 so i move 9 decimal points left

if i am doing something wrong here $$0.05^{m-k}$$ = $$0.05^{-9}$$ - than how to equate bases?

Hey dave13 ,

As mentioned by generis , your calculation is incorrect here : $$5 * 10^7$$ to $$.05 * 10^{-9}$$.

When you are converting 5 to 0.05, it means you are multiplying and dividing 5 with 100. That means 5/100 would become 0.05 and two extra zeros at the top(when you multiplied by 100) will be added to 7, thereby giving you 9.

Hence, your conversion will be $$5 * 10^7$$ to $$.05 * 10^{9}$$.

Does that make sense?

thank you abhimahna generis

you know there some points I dont understand

you say "When you are converting 5 to 0.05, it means you are multiplying and dividing 5 with 100" why are you multiplying and dividing we are talking about this expression as one whole number right $$5 * 10^7$$ ?

and even if I multiply 5 by 100 and result divide by 100 I get 500 so what ?

here is a rule I learnt but I still have question regarding the rule. it says if"When the number is 10 or greater" which number the power

To figure out the power of 10, think "how many places do I move the decimal point?"

When the number is 10 or greater, the decimal point has to move to the left, and the power of 10 is positive.

When the number is smaller than 1, the decimal point has to move to the right, so the power of 10 is negative.

so i get back ti intial problem

$$5 * 10^7$$ = 50.000.000 from this i need to get 0.05 (now it says "When the number is 10 or greater, the decimal point has to move to the left" ) so since 50.000.000 is greater than 10 the decimal point has to move to the left am i right ?

so i count 9 decimal points to the left with positive power of 10

$$0.05^9$$

where are the fireworks ?
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If 0.0015*10^m/0.03*10^k=5*10^7, then m - k = [#permalink]

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22 Mar 2018, 09:38
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Hey dave13

Lets try and break-down this conversion: $$5 * 10^7$$ to $$.05 * 10^{9}$$.

$$5 * 10^7$$ can also be written as $$5 * 1 * 10^7$$ (Here 1 = $$\frac{100}{100}$$)

We replace 1 and the expression becomes $$5 * \frac{100}{100} * 10^7 = \frac{5}{100} * 100 * 10^7$$

The final step to this conversion is $$0.05 * 10^2 * 10^7 = 0.05 * 10^{2+7} = 0.05 * 10^9$$ because $$x^m * x^n = x^{m+n}$$

Hope it's clearer now!
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If 0.0015*10^m/0.03*10^k=5*10^7, then m - k =   [#permalink] 22 Mar 2018, 09:38
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