|
Converting To
Scientific Notation ... |
To
Change from Standard Form to Scientific Notation:
| (1) |
Place
the decimal point such that there is one non-zero digit to the left
of the decimal point.
|
| (2) |
Count the 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 less than 1, the exponent is negative; if
the original number was greater than 1, the exponent is
positive.
|
Examples:
|
Given:
4,750,000 |
| |
4.75
(moved
decimal point 6 decimal places) |
|
Answer:
4.75 X 106 |
|
The
original number was greater than 1 so the exponent is positive. |
|
|
Given:
0.000789 |
| |
7.89
(moved
decimal point 4 decimal places) |
|
Answer:
7.89 x 10-4 |
|
The
original number was less than 1 so the exponent is negative. |
|
|
Converting From
Scientific Notation ... |
To
Change from Scientific Notation to Standard Form:
| (1) |
Move the decimal
point to the right for positive exponents of 10.
The exponent tells you how many places to move. |
| (2) |
Move the decimal point to the left for
negative exponents of 10. Again, the exponent tells you how
many places to move. |
Examples:
|
Given:
1.015 x 10-8 |
|
Answer:
0.00000001015
(moved decimal 8 places left) |
|
|
|
Negative
exponent moves decimal to the left. |
|
|
Given:
5.024 x 103 |
|
Answer:
5,024 (move decimal 3 places right) |
|
Positive
exponent moves decimal to the right. |
|
|
