Operations with Scientific Notation

Front

What is scientific notation?

Back

A way to express very large or very small numbers using powers of ten. For example, 3000 can be written as 3 x 10^3.

Front

How do you multiply numbers in scientific notation?

Back

Multiply the coefficients and add the exponents. For example, (2 x 10^3) x (1.9 x 10^2) = (2 * 1.9) x 10^(3+2) = 3.8 x 10^5.

Front

How do you divide numbers in scientific notation?

Back

Divide the coefficients and subtract the exponents. For example, (5 x 10^12) ÷ (2 x 10^6) = (5 ÷ 2) x 10^(12-6) = 2.5 x 10^6.

Front

How do you convert a decimal to scientific notation?

Back

Move the decimal point to create a number between 1 and 10, then count the number of places moved. For example, 0.0005 = 5 x 10^-4.

Front

What is the coefficient in scientific notation?

Back

The number in front of the power of ten. For example, in 3.4 x 10^5, 3.4 is the coefficient.

Front

What does the exponent in scientific notation represent?

Back

The exponent indicates how many times to multiply the coefficient by 10. A positive exponent means a large number, while a negative exponent means a small number.

Front

How do you add or subtract numbers in scientific notation?

Back

First, make sure the exponents are the same. Then, add or subtract the coefficients. For example, (3.8 x 10^4) - (2 x 10^3) = (3.8 x 10^4) - (0.2 x 10^4) = 3.6 x 10^4.

Front

What is the result of (3.4 x 10^5)(1.2 x 10^-3)?

Back

4.08 x 10^2.

Front

What is the result of (2 x 10^3) x (1.5 x 10^2)?

Back

3 x 10^5.

Front

How do you express 0.00001 in scientific notation?

Back

1 x 10^-5.