Which of the following represents a correct mathematical expression for the number 301?

• A. 3 × 10² + 0
• B. 31 × 10 + 1
• C. 30 × 10 + 1
• D. 3 × 10² + 1

Answer: (D)

To determine the correct mathematical expression for the number 301, it's essential to break down the value into its place values. The number 301 can be expressed as follows:

• The "3" in the hundreds place represents 300, which can be written as (3 \times 10^2).

• The "0" in the tens place contributes nothing to the value, so it can be represented simply as (0).

• The "1" in the units place represents 1, which can be expressed directly as (1).

Combining these components gives the expression (3 \times 10^2 + 0 + 1). However, since adding zero does not change the value, the simplified version is (3 \times 10^2 + 1).

Thus, the correct representation is indeed (3 \times 10^2 + 1), which corresponds to 301. The other options fail to accurately combine the values to total 301, either by misrepresenting place values or by incorrectly calculating the total.