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Here's a boring, unshmoopy question you'll find on some exam somewhere in life...

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Which of the following numbers is the largest:

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Here are the potential answers...

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So... in this scientific notation problem, there are a few we can rule out real quick.

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Note that A and B are taken to the NEGATIVE power of 2...

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...which means that they are small numbers...

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...even though in A's case, it starts out with a big fat 12 to the left of the decimal.

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That negative exponent means there's going to be some shrinkage.

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So that leaves us with C and D.

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In this case, both are only 10 squared, which we know is 100.

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So for C, we have 1.23 x 100, which is just 123.

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And in option D, 0.123 times 10 squared means that we shift the decimal two places to the

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right to get 12.3.

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So C is bigger and yep, that's the answer.

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Now if you'll excuse us, we're going to try consoling options A and B.

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They have positive exponent envy.

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