Scientific Notation

Why do we use it? Easy way to handle very large or very small numbers like… 1,234,000,000,000 or 0.000000000543 Also cuts down on errors when transferring numbers

How do we do it? Pull the non-zero numbers out of the real number 123,000,000,000 (take out 123) Put a decimal right after the first number 1.23

123,000,000,000 (con’t.) Multiply by 10 1.23 x 10 Use the exponent to indicate how many places you need to move the decimal to get back to the real number (positive exponent if decimal needs to go to right, negative if decimal needs to go to left.) 1.23 x 1011 (positive, decimal goes to right)

Practice – real to scientific 540,000 - _____________________ 100,000,000 - ___________________ 0.0005 - ____________________ 0.00000045 - ___________________

From Scientific to Real If exponent is positive, move decimal to the right If exponent is negative, move to the left 6.5 x 105 8 x 109 4.75 x 10-6