Scientific Notation Word Problem Practice

Scientific Notation Word Problems

By Brandi Holland

Multiple Choice

A microgram is equal to 1 x 10 ^-6 grams. How many times greater than a microgram is 1 x 10² grams? 

• 1 x 10^-8
• 1 x 10^-4
• 1 x 10⁴
• 1 x 10⁸

Multiple Choice

The US spends an average of 1.02x10⁴ dollars on each student per year.  There are about 7.6x10⁷ students in the US.  About how much money total is spent on students per year?

• 7.752 x 10¹¹
• 7.752 x 10²⁸
• 8.62 x 10¹¹
• 8.62 x 10²⁸

Multiple Choice

As part of a community service project, a class planted 7x10⁵  trees in a year.  If there are 3.5x10³ students in the school, how many trees did each student plant?

• 2 x 10⁸
• 2 x 10²
• 3.5 x 10⁸
• 3.5 x 10²

Multiple Choice

The distance from the sun to the Andromeda galaxy is 1.2 x 10¹⁹ miles. Light travels at a speed of 5.88 x 10¹² miles per year (called a light-year). How long does it take light from the sun to the Andromeda galaxy?

• 2.04 x 10⁶ years
• 2.04 x 10⁷ years
• 7.056 x 10²¹ years
• 7.056 x 10⁷ years

Multiple Choice

In 2012, New York City (NYC) and Los Angeles (LA) has the highest populations of any cities in the United States. NYC’s population was about 8.1 × 10⁶ and LA’s population was about 3.8 × 10⁶. What is the population of these two cities combined?

• 1.19 x 10^-7

• 1.19 x 10⁷

• 11.9 x 10⁶

• 1.19 x 10⁶

Multiple Choice

The mass of he sun is 1.989 x 10³⁰ kilograms. The mass of the earth is 5.98 x 10²⁴ kilograms. How many times bigger is the sun than the earth?

• 3.326 x 10⁵
• 3.326 x 10⁶
• 1.99 x 10³⁰
• 1.99 x 10⁶

Multiple Choice

In 1985 Earth had 4.9 ×10⁹ people living on it and in 2005, earth had 6.4 ×10⁹ living on it. How many more people inhabited Earth in 2005 than in 1985?

• 1.13 x 10⁹

• 1.13 x 10¹⁰

• 1.5 x 10⁸

• 1.5 x 10⁹

Multiple Choice

1. The pitch of a sound is determined by the number of vibrations produced per second. The note “middle C” produces 2.62 x 10² vibrations per second. If a pianist plays middle C for 5 x 10^-1 seconds, how many vibrations will occur? Which operation would you use to solve this problem?

• Addition

• Subtraction

• Multiply

• Divide

Multiple Choice

By area, Russia is the largest country in the world. It has an area of 8.649 x 10⁶ square miles. Canada is second with 4.797 x 10⁶ square miles. What is the difference in area?

• 3.852 x 10⁶ square miles
• 3.852 x 10⁰ square miles
• 1.803 x 10⁶ square miles
• 1.803 x 10¹ square miles