Scientific Notation

Standard Form to Scientific Notation

Step 1:
Move the decimal point until it is to the right of the first nonzero digit.
The result is a real number a.

Step 2:
Note the number of places n and the direction that you moved the
decimal point.

Step 3:
If the decimal point is moved left, write the number as a x 10n.
If the decimal point is moved right, write the number as a x 10-n.

Step 4:
Remove the unnecessary zeros.
 Scientific Notation
Standard Form to Scientific Notation
Example:
201,000,000
Step 1
201,000,000 decimal is here

move decimal to here

Step 2
The decimal moved 8 places to the left
Step 3
2.01000000 x 108
Step 4
2.01 x 108
Notice that when the original number is
greater than 1, the exponent will be positive.
 Scientific Notation
Standard Form to Scientific Notation
Example:
.000051
Step 1

.0 0 0 0 5 1 move decimal to here

decimal is here
Step 2
The decimal moved 5 places to the right
Step 3
00005.1 x 10-5
Step 4
5.1 x 10-5

Notice that when the original number is less

than 1, the exponent will be negative.
 Scientific Notation
Scientific Notation to Standard Form
Example:
6.32 x 109
Step 1
6.3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 move decimal to here

decimal is here
Add 7 zeros to total 9 digit spaces

Step 2

6,300,000,000

Notice that when the exponent is positive, the

number will be a whole number.
 Scientific Notation
Scientific Notation to Standard Form
Example:
4 x 10-7
Step 1
0000004 decimal is here
move decimal to here

Add 6 zeros to total 7 digit spaces

Step 2

.0000004

Notice that when the exponent is negative,

the number will be a decimal.
Multiply With Scientific Notation

Example:
(3.5 x 10-3) (7 x 105)

Multiply numbers together

Use product or quotient of powers property
to combine exponents

( 3.5 7 ) ( 10-3 105 ) =

24.5 (10-3 + 5) = 24.5 x 102
= (24.5 x 101) ( 102)
= 2.45 x 101 + 2
= 2.45 x 103 Scientific Notation
=2.450
= 2,450 Standard Notation