Transcript Scientific Notation

Scientific
Notation
Why do it?
 It
is clearer about how many significant
figures

Example: 2.0 x 500.1
 Shows
really large or small numbers in a
simpler fashion
How to convert decimals to
Scientific notation.
1. Count how many places you would move the decimal
place to get it to the ones.
example: 5453
moved to the left 3 place
2. Write the number with decimal in the ones place with “x 10”
after it
example: 5.453 x 10
3. The exponent is determined by how many places you
moved the decimal. If you moved it left, it will be positive,
right = negative
example: you moved it left 3 places
5.453 x 103
NOTE: the number in front should have the same # of
significant figures as the decimal or answer.
Practice
 10,000,000
 4,001,000,000
 0.00001230
How to convert Scientific
notation to decimals.
1. Remove the “x 10x”
example: 3.56 x 10-4 becomes 3.56
2. Move the decimal place the same # of
places as the exponent (for -#s move left,
for +#s move right)
example: 3.56 x 10-4 becomes
0.000356
NOTE: The decimal should have the same #
of significant figures whenever possible.
Practice
 2.35
x 103
 9.08021 x 107
 3.890 x 10-2