Writing Numbers in Scientific Notation

Front

What is scientific notation?

Back

A way of expressing numbers that are too large or too small to be conveniently written in decimal form, using powers of ten.

Front

How do you convert a large number to scientific notation?

Back

Move the decimal point to the left until only one non-zero digit remains to the left of the decimal. Count the number of places moved; this becomes the exponent of 10.

Front

Convert 650,000 to scientific notation.

Back

6.5 x 10^5

Front

Convert 8,000,000 to scientific notation.

Back

8 x 10^6

Front

How do you convert a small number to scientific notation?

Back

Move the decimal point to the right until only one non-zero digit remains to the left of the decimal. Count the number of places moved; this becomes a negative exponent of 10.

Front

Convert 0.00045 to scientific notation.

Back

4.5 x 10^-4

Front

Convert 0.00029 to scientific notation.

Back

2.9 x 10^-4

Front

Convert 0.00807 to scientific notation.

Back

8.07 x 10^-3

Front

What is the exponent in scientific notation for the number 0.0001?

Back

-4, because 0.0001 = 1 x 10^-4.

Front

What does the coefficient in scientific notation represent?

Back

The coefficient is a number greater than or equal to 1 and less than 10.