SCIENTIFIC%20NOTATION

1
SCIENTIFIC NOTATION
... a way to express very small or very large
numbers
2
A number written in Scientific Notation has
three parts
A number greater than one but less than ten
A power of ten
A multiplication sign
3

• Standard Form to Scientific Notation
• Move the decimal point so that the number is
  greater than one but less ten .  
• (2) Count number of decimal places the decimal
  has "moved" from the original number.  This will
  be the exponent of the 10.  
• (3) If the original number was a small number,
  the exponent is negative if the original number
  was a big number, the exponent is positive.

4
Example
4,750,000 4.750000 moved 6 decimal places 4.75
X 106
Move Decimal
Answer
The original number was a big number so the
exponent is positive.
5
0.000789 0.000789 moved 4 decimal
places 7.89 X 10-4
Example
Move Decimal
Answer
The original number was small number so the
exponent is negative.
6
Try the following Problems
61,500
84,960,000
321
7
0.000527
0.0000004
0.004503
REMEMBER the first number must be greater than
1,but less than 10. Therefore, the number
before the decimal point can be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
7, 8, or 9.
8

• Scientific Notation
• to
• Standard Form

9

• Scientific Notation to Standard Form
• Move the decimal point the same number of spaces
  as the exponent.
• Positive exponents big numbers, so move the
  decimal point to the RIGHT.
• Negative Exponents small numbers so move the
  decimal point to LEFT

10
5.024 x 103 5.024 x
103 moved 3 decimal places 5,024
Example
Move Decimal
Answer
Positive Exponent big number - Therefore, move
decimal point to right.
11
moved decimal 5 places .00001015
Example
Move Decimal
Answer
Negative Exponent small number Therefore,
move decimal point left.
12
Try the following problems
109,000
42,273
0.00942
13
Try the following problems
109,000
42,273
0.00942