Standard Form to Scientific Notation

What must be true for the decimal number (coefficient) in scientific notation?

• must be less than 10

• must be greater than 1

• must be between 1 and 10

• must be less than or equal to 10

• must be less than 1

When writing 20 billion in scientific notation, the exponent of the power of 10 will be ___.

• positive

• negative

Answer explanation

Look back at your notes!

If the number is GREATER THAN 1, the exponent will be positive.

• positive

• negative

Answer explanation

Look back at your notes!

If the number is LESS THAN 1, the exponent will be negative.

Which of the following is correct scientific notation?

Answer explanation

Remember that the decimal number (coefficient) must be a number between 1 and 10!

Which of the following shows the GREATEST (top) to LEAST (bottom)?

• 1 x 10^-9
  2 x 10^-2
  3 x 10^-5
  5 x 10^-5

• 5 x 10^-5
  3 x 10^-5
  2 x 10^-2
  1 x 10^-9

• 2 x 10^-2
  5 x 10^-5
  3 x 10^-5
  1 x 10^-9

Answer explanation

Remember that the more negative a number is, the lower it is on the number line.