IB Math Studies Yr 1

Name_____________ ___________________ Date: ____________

Lesson 1-4: Scientific Notation

Learning Goals:
#1: How do we convert in and out of scientific notation?

Scientific Notation
 Scientific Notation is a way of writing numbers that accommodates values too
large or small to be conveniently written in standard decimal notation.

 Scientific notation has a number of useful properties and is commonly used in

calculators, and by scientists, mathematicians, doctors, and engineers.

 A number written in scientific notation has the form: a x 10k, where 1 ≤ a < 10 and

A positive exponent means it is a LARGE number

Example: 4.92 x 104 = 49,200
When you see this
A negative exponent means it is a SMALL number mentioned just think
Example: 5.98 x 10-4 = .000598 _________________________________
__
Let’s Try Some:
1. Write the following in scientific notation: 2. Write the following without exponents:
a. 435000 a. 2.006 x 107

b. 0.0087 b. -5.4 x 10-6

c. -19.6 c. 4.3 x 100

d. 0.157 d. 4.56989 x 103

When writing a number in scientific notation: In the Calculator:

1. Scientific notation must have the decimal between
the first two _____________________________ numbers!

2. Don’t forget to count the number of spaces that you

move the _________________________ to meet the criteria
mentioned above!

3. The number of spaces that you move the decimal

then becomes the ___________________________.
IB Math Studies Yr 1
Practice:

Directions: Convert each number from scientific notation to standard form.

1. 9.757 x 102 2. -1.222 x 10-4

3. 7.117 x 105 4. 2.349x 10-2

5. -2.562 x 10-1 6. 7.64325 x 103

7. 9.28410 x 10-3 8. -3.00462 x 102

9. 2.50624 x 101 10. 9.757 x 10-5

Directions: Convert each number from standard form to scientific notation.

1. 28.43 2. 757.3

3. 3.329 4. -27,330

5. 46.91 6. 0.001997

7. -20,827 8. 734,202

9. 7,340,000 10. -0.0083701

IB Math Studies Yr 1
Extend your thinking:

1. A large rectangular field has a length of 3.4 X 104 m and a width of 2.7 X 104 m.
a) Find the area of the field in m2.

b) Round your answer to two significant figures.

Practice:
2. Write as an ordinary decimal number:
a. The estimated population of the world in the year 2010 is 6.8 x 109

b. Round your answer in a) to 1 significant figure

3. Write the following width accurate to two significant figures:

A small virus has greatest width of 9.856 x 10-4 mm.

4. Use your calculator to simplify, correct to 3 significant figures:

a. (4.7 x 102) x (8.5 x 103)
Type these in your calculator
exactly the way you see
them!
b. (5.96 x 10-2)2
Remember PEMDAS-
Parentheses
Exponents
Multiply/Divide
c. (7.3 x 10-7) x (1.5 x 104)
Add/Subtract
IB Math Studies Yr 1
5. The total mass of 256 identical pencils is 4.24 kg. Calculate the mass of one pencil, in kg.
a. Give your answer exactly.

b. Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

c. Write your answer from b) in the form a x 10k where 1≤a<10 and k

6. Round all of the following to three significant figures:

a. 0.003012g b. -90.351230

c. 3.198cm d. 11.0960

e. 92.04989 f. -0.00189904

7. Round the following:

a. Round to the nearest cent. b. Round to the nearest dollar.

$176.09130 $0.8931

c. Round to the nearest ten liters. d. Round to two decimal places.

159.4508 L 79.0315 m

e. Round to the nearest tenth of a milliliter. f. Round to five decimal places.

1508.64 mL 120.6413941