Transcript Scientific Notation - Logan County Schools

Scientific Notation
Helping us write
really tiny
or
really big numbers
What is Scientific Notation?

A shorter way to write very large or very
small numbers.

an ordinary penny contains about
20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 atoms.

The average size of an atom is about 0.00000003
centimeters across

Scientific Notation looks like 3 x 10-8
Writing Scientific Notation
Look at original number.
-
If it’s a Small Number – Your exponent will
be negative. (ex. 0.000000045)
-
If it’s a Large Number – Your exponent will
be positive. (ex. 45,200,000,000)
Standard Form to Scientific Notation
(Large Number)
Steps:
1. Move decimal to get a number between 1
and 9.9.
45,300,000  4.53
2. LARGE NUMBER: Write a positive
exponent, equal to the # of places you
moved the decimal.
4.53 x 107
Standard Form to Scientific Notation
(small number)
Steps:
1. Move decimal to get a number between 1
and 9.9.
0.000291  2.91
2. SMALL NUMBER: Write a negative
exponent, equal to the # of places you
moved the decimal.
2.91 x 10-4
Write in Scientific Notation
28750.9
0.0000000902
Write the width of the universe in scientific
notation.
210,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 miles
Scientific Notation to Standard Form
Steps:
1. Determine if your number will be large or
small
1.
It will be a Small number:
1.
2.
2.
If exponent is negative; then
Move decimal to the left
It will be a Large number:
1.
2.
If exponent is positive; then
Move decimal to the right
Write in Standard Form
1.8 x 10-4
0.00018
4.58 x 106
4,580,000
Great reference: Use “Basic Scientific
Notation” PPS file
 http://www.oconee.k12.sc.us/webpages/
khood/the_lunchbox.cfm?subpage=3863
0
