The area of the Mediterranean is [tex]$2.967 \times 10^6 \, \text{km}^2[tex]$[/tex]. The area of the North Atlantic Ocean is [tex]$[/tex]4.149 \times 10^7 \, \text{km}^2$[/tex]. Find the total area. Write the final answer in scientific notation with the correct number of significant digits.

A. [tex]4.11933 \times 10^{13} \, \text{km}^2[/tex]
B. [tex]4.119 \times 10^{13} \, \text{km}^2[/tex]
C. [tex]4.4457 \times 10^7 \, \text{km}^2[/tex]
D. [tex]4.446 \times 10^7 \, \text{km}^2[/tex]



Answer :

To find the total area of the Mediterranean and the North Atlantic Ocean combined, we need to follow these steps:

1. Identify the given areas:
- Area of the Mediterranean: \( 2.967 \times 10^6 \, \text{km}^2 \)
- Area of the North Atlantic Ocean: \( 4.149 \times 10^7 \, \text{km}^2 \)

2. Add these areas together:
- When adding numbers in scientific notation, make sure they are added directly if they have the same exponent. Here, we first express them without exponents for clarity:
[tex]\[ 2.967 \times 10^6 = 2,967,000 \, \text{km}^2 \][/tex]
[tex]\[ 4.149 \times 10^7 = 41,490,000 \, \text{km}^2 \][/tex]
- Add these two values:
[tex]\[ 2,967,000 + 41,490,000 = 44,457,000 \, \text{km}^2 \][/tex]

3. Convert the sum back to scientific notation:
- The sum \( 44,457,000 \, \text{km}^2 \) can be written in scientific notation as:
[tex]\[ 4.4457 \times 10^7 \, \text{km}^2 \][/tex]

4. Ensure the correct number of significant digits:
- The final result has been expressed with four significant digits: \( 4.4457 \times 10^7 \, \text{km}^2 \).

Therefore, the total area of the Mediterranean and the North Atlantic Ocean combined, expressed in scientific notation with the correct number of significant digits, is:
[tex]\[ 4.4457 \times 10^7 \, \text{km}^2 \][/tex]

Thus, the correct answer is:
[tex]\[ \boxed{4.4457 \times 10^7 \, \text{km}^2} \][/tex]