Scribd
Upload
112 views8 pages

Understanding Scientific Notation Basics

Scientific notation is used to conveniently write very large or small numbers. It represents a number as the product of a digit between 1 and 10 and a power of 10. For example, 29,600,000 can be written as 2.96 x 107. To convert a number to scientific notation, the decimal point is moved to place the leading digit between 1 and 10, and an exponent of 10 is added or subtracted to account for the decimal movement. This allows numbers with many zeros to be succinctly represented using fewer symbols.

Uploaded by

CYRUS Ortiz
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
112 views8 pages

Understanding Scientific Notation Basics

Scientific notation is used to conveniently write very large or small numbers. It represents a number as the product of a digit between 1 and 10 and a power of 10. For example, 29,600,000 can be written as 2.96 x 107. To convert a number to scientific notation, the decimal point is moved to place the leading digit between 1 and 10, and an exponent of 10 is added or subtracted to account for the decimal movement. This allows numbers with many zeros to be succinctly represented using fewer symbols.

Uploaded by

CYRUS Ortiz
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Scientific Notation

In the sciences, many of the things measured or calculated involve numbers that are either very
large or very small. As a result, it is inconvenient to write out such long numbers or to perform
calculations long hand. In addition, most calculators do not have enough window space to be
able to show these long numbers. To remedy this, we have available a short hand method of
representing numbers called scientific notation. The chart below gives you some examples of
powers of 10 and their names and equivalences.

Exponent Expanded Prefix Symbol Name Fraction


-12
10 0.000000000001 pico- p one trillionth 1/1,000,000,000,000
-9
10 0.000000001 nano- n one billionth 1/1,000,000,000
-6
10 0.000001 micro- u one millionth 1/1,000,000
one
10-3 0.001 milli- m 1/1,000
thousandth
10-2 0.01 centi- c one hundredth 1/100
-1
10 0.1 deci- d one tenth 1/10
100 1 ------ ------ one --------
101 10 Deca- D ten --------
2
10 100 Hecto- H hundred --------
3
10 1,000 Kilo- k thousand --------
4
10 10,000 ------ 10k ten thousand --------
one hundred
105 100,000 ------ 100k --------
thousand
106 1,000,000 Mega- M one million --------
9
10 1,000,000,000 Giga- G one billion --------
1012 1,000,000,000,000 Tera- T one trillion --------
1015 1,000,000,000,000,000 Peta- P one quadrillion --------
Powers of 10 and Place Value..........

Multiplying by 10, 100, or 1000 in the following problems just means to add the number of
zeroes to the number being multiplied. This is because our number system is based on 10. The
chart above shows the powers of 10 you are most likely to encounter in your science studies.

1. 35 x 10 → 35 + 0 → 350
2. 6 x 100 → 6+0+0 → 600
3. 925 x 10 → 925 + 0 → 9,250
4. 42 x 1000 → 42 + 0 + 0 + 0 → 42,000
5. 691 x 1000 → 691 + 0 + 0 + 0 → 691,000

Places to right of the decimal point are called decimal fractions. The negative exponents shown
under the negative exponents shown under the Exponents column above tell you to divide by
that number.

Examples:

10-1 = 1/10 = .1
10-2 = 1/102 = 1/100 = .01
10-3 = 1/103 = 1/1000 = .001

You know that the value of each digit depends on which place it occupies. For example, the 5 in
5628 has the value of 5 thousand, while the value of the 1 in 1586000 is 1 million. A number
can be expanded according to the place value it holds:

Example A:

589 = 5(100) + 8(10) + 9(1)


67.32 = 6(10) + 7(1) + 3(.1) + 2(.01)

For larger numbers, it is easier to use exponents for the place values.

Example B:

96,734,000 = 9(107) + 6(106) + 7(105) + 3(104) + 4(103)


When you expand the numbers you should notice these two facts:

1. When a power of 10 is written the long way, the number of zeroes behind the 1 is the
same as the exponent of the 10 when it is written in shorthand.

Examples:

100 = 102 ; (2 zeroes so exponent is 2)


100,000 = 105 ; (5 zeroes so exponent is 5)

2. The number of places between the digit and the decimal point is the same as the
exponent of the 10 in the place value of that digit. Consider the two following examples:

a. In the number 5,078.4 look at the 5. There are 3 places between it and the decimal
point. Its place value is 103.

b. In the number 56,700,000.6 look at the 5. There are 7 places between it and the
decimal point. Its place value is 107.

On the place value chart below, the place value names do not center around the decimal point.
Instead they center around the ones place. The names to the left of the ones place match up
with the names to the right.

thousands............................................................................thousandths
hundreds..................................................hundredths
tens.................................tenths
ones

Example Set 1.

What is the value of 8 in each of the following numbers?

a) 84.67 _________________________

b) 209.82 _________________________

c) 38,009 _________________________

d) 85,000,000 _________________________

e) 0.08 _________________________
Example Set 2.

Expand each of the following numbers by place (See examples above)

a) 380 _______________________________________

b) 5000.02 _______________________________________

c) 60,400 _______________________________________

d) 29,000,000 _______________________________________

e) 100.004 _______________________________________

Example Set 3.

Write each of the following numbers as a digit times a power of 10. [Ex: 4,000,000 =
4(106)]

a) 50 _____________________________

b) 0.5 _____________________________

c) 80,000 _____________________________

d) 800 _____________________________

e) 0.09 _____________________________

f) 9,000 _____________________________

g) 600,000,000 _____________________________

h) 0.006 _____________________________

i) 30.000 _____________________________

j) 30,000,000 _____________________________
Multiplying and Dividing a Number By a Power of 10

In the last section you saw how trailing zeroes are carried along when you multiply by powers
of 10. Adding trailing zeroes on is just like moving the decimal point.

To multiply a number by a power of 10, move the decimal point to the right the same number
of places as the exponent.

49 x 100 = 4,900
49.00 x 100 = 4,900.

Since you are multiplying by 100 (102), move the decimal point 2 places to the right. Add
zeroes when necessary .

325 x 1,000 = 325,000


325.000 x 1000 = 325,000

You can multiply by 1000 (103) by moving the decimal point 3 places to the right. Add zeroes
when necessary.

Dividing by powers of 10 can be viewed in the same manner.

To divide a number by a power of 10, move the decimal point to the left the same number of
places as the exponent.

6,000 = 60.00 = 60
100

100 can be written as 102 , so you would move the decimal point 2 places to the left.

40,000 = 4.0000 = 4
10,000

10,000 is the same as 104, so you would move the decimal point 4 places to the left.

To make sense about which way to move the decimal point use the following tips:

1. By moving the decimal point to the right, you are making the number larger.

2. By moving the decimal point to the left, you are making the number smaller.
Example Set 4.

Complete the table using the technique of moving the decimal point to multiply and divide.

Number to Use x 10 ÷ 1,000 x 1,000


Ex. 308.5 3,085 0.3085 308,500
Ex. 5.004 50.04 0.005004 5,004
a) 730.2
b) 2.105
c) 45
d) 0.08

Scientific Notation

The population of California in 1990 was estimated at 29,600,000. Another way of writing large
numbers like this, as well as small numbers, is to use a shorthand method called scientific
notation. Thus, the population of California can be written as 2.96 x 107. Scientific notation
consists of two parts: a number with a value between 1 and 10 multiplied by a power of 10.

A.) 5,000,000,000 in scientific notation is 5 x 109.

This is breaking the number into the digit times its place value.
(Count the O's.)

B.) 0.004 in scientific notation would be 4 x 10-3

The 4 is in the thousandths place, so multiplying by 10-3 (1/1000)


is the same as dividing by 103 (1,000).

C.) 8,200 in scientific notation is 8.2 x 103.

Move the decimal point so that there is only one non-zero digit to
the left of it. How many places did you move it? In what direction?
3 to the left (divided). Compensate for the division by multiplying
the same number, 8.2 x 103.
D.) 0.00029 in scientific notation is 2.9 x 10-4.

Move the decimal point so that there is only one non-zero digit to
the left. How many places did you move it? In what direction? 4 to
the right (multiplied) Compensate for the multiplication by dividing
the same number 2.9 x 10-4.

E. 4.39 x 107 written the long way would be 43,900,000.

The single digit 4 is before the decimal point. Add enough zeros so
that the 4 is in the 107 place. 43,900,000 (The 107 place means there
are 7 digits between the 4 and the decimal point.)

Example Set 5.

Write the following numbers in scientific notation.

a) 70,000 _____________________________

b) 300,000 _____________________________

c) 800,000,000 _____________________________

d) 9 ,000,000,000 _____________________________

e) 0.008 _____________________________

f) 0.00003 _____________________________

g) 0.000009 _____________________________

h) 0.0000002 _____________________________
Example Set 6.

a) In 1980, major airlines flew 5,400,000 flights. Write the number of flights in scientific
notation.

b) In 1986, ($1.25 x 1010 was spent on state-run lotteries. Write this amount in long form.

c) A pollen grain measures 0.0004 m in diameter. Write this measurement in scientific


notation.

d) The radius of the hydrogen atom is 10-8 cm. Write this in long form.

e) To measure long distances in space, astronomers use a unit called a light-year. A light-
year is approximately 5,880,000,000,000 miles long. Write this in scientific notation.

f) Oprah Winfrey's salary as a TV talk show host was reportedly $3.5 x 106 for one year.
Write this in long form.

g) In 1990 the budget deficit reduction plan was to trim $500 billion from the deficit. Write
this figure in scientific notation.

Developed by Gary L. Morrison


Student Learning Assistance Center (SLAC)
San Antonio College

Common questions

Powered by AI

Scientific notation simplifies calculations involving large and small components by converting each component to a form where algebraic operations can be easily applied. For instance, multiplying 5,000,000 by 0.00004 using their scientific forms, 5 x 10^6 and 4 x 10^-5 respectively, results in 20 x 10^1, or 2 x 10^2 after adjustment. This process efficiently combines exponential powers, reducing both the cognitive and computational load .

To determine the appropriate power of 10, move the decimal point to create a number between 1 and 10, then count the number of places moved: this becomes the power of 10. If moved right, the exponent is negative, indicating a small number; if left, the exponent is positive, indicating a large number. Thus, 8,200 becomes 8.2 x 10^3 after moving the decimal left three places .

In multiplication by powers of 10, the decimal point moves right, increasing the number's magnitude, whereas, in division, it moves left, decreasing the number's magnitude. This conceptual understanding is crucial for accurately adjusting scales in scientific measurements and computational processes, ensuring precision in quantitative analysis .

Scientific notation condenses numbers by expressing them as a digit multiplied by a power of 10, which simplifies both representation and calculation. For example, rather than writing 29,600,000, it can be represented as 2.96 x 10^7, reducing the cognitive load of handling zeros and aiding in performing calculations on calculators with limited digit displays .

While scientific notation efficiently expresses large/small numbers, it might lose precision due to limited significant digits. In fields demanding high precision, such as quantum mechanics, this can lead to errors, emphasizing the importance of specifying the correct number of significant figures to preserve accuracy .

Place values in classical notation correspond to powers of 10 in scientific notation. For instance, in the number 5,078.4, the '5' is three places away from the decimal point, corresponding to the 10^3 (thousands) place. Scientific notation uses this concept of powers of 10 to express numbers concisely. Thus, the relationship between place values and powers of 10 allows for the conversion of a standard number into a more compact form, which is fundamental for scientific calculations .

Scientific notation is invaluable in astronomy when dealing with vast distances, such as light-years. For example, one light-year is approximately 5.88 x 10^12 miles. Scientific notation allows astronomers to express these enormous distances concisely and consistently, facilitating easier comparison and computation across different celestial measurements .

Prefixes like "pico" (10^-12), "nano" (10^-9), and "mega" (10^6) in scientific notation standardize measurements, bridging understanding across disciplines. They allow easy switching between units, facilitating global scientific communication and comparison. For example, converting nanometers to meters automatically conveys the magnitude, critical in fields ranging from chemistry to information technology .

Ensuring the leading digit in scientific notation lies between 1 and 10 standardizes numerical representation, permitting consistent comparison and computation. Failure to adhere to this could result in misleading interpretations of scale and errors in calculations, particularly in scientific fields where precision is imperative .

Multiplying a number by a power of 10 involves moving the decimal point to the right by the exponent's value, increasing the number's magnitude. Conversely, dividing by a power of 10 requires moving the decimal point to the left, decreasing the number's magnitude. This method simplifies large-scale calculations, enabling easy adjustments of units and scales without recalculating individual digits. For example, to divide 40,000 by 10,000 (10^4), you shift the decimal point four places left, resulting in 4 .

You might also like