Explanation:
To multiply two numbers in scientific notation, you multiply their coefficients and add their exponents. Applying this rule, we get:
(4 x 10^11) (8 x 10^6) = (4 x 8) x (10^11 x 10^6) = 32 x 10^17
However, this result is not yet in scientific notation because the coefficient 32 is not between 1 and 10. To put it in scientific notation, we need to divide the coefficient by 10 and increase the exponent by 1. This gives:
32 x 10^17 = 3.2 x 10^18
Therefore, the product of (4 x 10^11) and (8 x 10^6) expressed in scientific notation is 3.2 x 10^18.