Here's how to determine this:

* Sodium (Na): Sodium is in Group 1 of the periodic table, meaning it forms ions with a +1 charge (Na⁺).

* Nitrate (NO₃): Nitrate is a polyatomic ion with a -1 charge (NO₃⁻).

To form a neutral compound, one sodium ion (Na⁺) combines with one nitrate ion (NO₃⁻), resulting in the formula NaNO₃.