TourignyConroy
Math Skills Review
Scientific Notation
Used to communicate extremely large or small values
ex. 47,800,000 is written as 4.78 x 107
4.78 is referred to as the coefficient and must be greater than or equal to
1, but less than 10
The exponent of 10 represents the number of places the decimal place
must be shifted
a positive exponent means the decimal is to be shifted to the right
(large numbers)
a negative exponent means the decimal is to be shifted to the left
(small numbers)
Practice: Covert each of the following from standard notation to scientific
notation.
43.02 0.3050
5.42 62.43
0.054 0.067
5946.2 0.000678
0.000530 4,560,000
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TourignyConroy
Math Skills Review
Significant Digits
Used to show certainty in measurements
What IS Significant?
1. All nonzero values
463 has 3 significant digits
2. Any value following a decimal
23.400 has 5 significant digits
3. Any zero found between nonzero values
4006 has 4 significant digits
What IS NOT Significant?
1. Any leading zero
00532 has 3 significant digits
0.0045 has 2 significant digits
2. Trailing zeros on a nondecimal number
43000 has 2 significant digits
Practice: State how many significant digits each number has.
43067 4098
0.032 730.960
429.00 6700
40600 0.045
50.45 053
9350 4.65 x 104
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TourignyConroy
Math Skills Review
When solving, your final answer can not be more certain than your
original data so we use the following rules:
Adding/Subtracting with Significant Digits
Use the least number of decimal places in your initial data
ex. 6.032 + 1.2
Multiplying/Dividing with Significant Digits
Use the least number of significant digits in your initial data
ex. 6.032 x 1.2
If you are completing multiple calculations in a question, only round your
final answer
Practice: Solve each of the following orders of operation.
43.93 x 3.2 6.7 2
6.4/4.66 69.8 x 4056
870 x 673 904/2
64.3 + 23.45 + 89.121 39.8 +1.24 + 5.65
8.90 4.3 8.7 9.00
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TourignyConroy
Math Skills Review
Converting Units
You will be expected to know the following conversions:
Ex. 4m to km 12 days to s 10 m/s to km/h
Practice: Solve each of the following orders of operation.
17g to kg 895m to cm
1400s to h 890 Hz to kHz
12m/s to km/h 25 mL to L
12km/h2 to m/s2 3700 kJ to nJ
14km/s to m/s 0.055 kW to W
2500 m to km 145 mV to daV
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TourignyConroy
Math Skills Review
Rearranging Equations
When choosing what to move first you will always follow BEDMAS
backwards.
When moving a term to the other side of the equation you will use
the opposite operation.
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TourignyConroy
Math Skills Review
Trigonometry
SOH CAH TOA Pythagorean Cosine Law
Theorem
Sine Law
Practice: Solve for p Practice: Solve for a
Quadratic Equation
Practice: Use the quadratic equation to solve for the values of x.
3x2 48 = 0
6x2 + 10x = 2
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TourignyConroy
Math Skills Review
Precision vs. Accuracy
Precision the exactness of a value depends upon the gradations of the
measuring device; is the place value of the last measured digit
•example: measuring 4.5cm using a 30cm ruler
Accuracy a comparison of an experimental value to the accepted
value
•example: measured value is 42.3cm, actual value is 45.9cm
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TourignyConroy
Math Skills Review
Three Types of Error
Percent Uncertainty error introduced by the equipment or measuring
device
Estimated uncertainty is one half of the smallest visible division of the
measuring device
Ex. A stopwatch measures an athlete finishing a race in 14s. The possible
error of the stopwatch is +/ 0.5s.
Percent Deviation compares the accuracy of an experimental result to an
accepted or theoretical value
Ex. A student measures the speed of light as 2.97 x 108 during an experiment.
The accepted value is 3.00 x 108 m/s.
Percent Difference compares the error with different measurements
Ex. Three students measure the width of the room to obtain the values of
12.2m, 12.3m and 12.4m.
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