Scientific Notation word problems

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 add numbers in scientific notation?

Back

Align the numbers to the same power of ten, then add the coefficients. For example, (2 x 10^3) + (3 x 10^3) = (2 + 3) x 10^3 = 5 x 10^3.

Front

What is the purpose of scientific notation?

Back

To simplify calculations and make it easier to read and write very large or very small numbers.

Front

How do you subtract numbers in scientific notation?

Back

Align the numbers to the same power of ten, then subtract the coefficients. For example, (5 x 10^4) - (2 x 10^4) = (5 - 2) x 10^4 = 3 x 10^4.

Front

What is the multiplication rule for scientific notation?

Back

Multiply the coefficients and add the exponents. For example, (2 x 10^3) * (3 x 10^2) = (2 * 3) x 10^(3+2) = 6 x 10^5.

Front

What is the division rule for scientific notation?

Back

Divide the coefficients and subtract the exponents. For example, (6 x 10^5) / (2 x 10^2) = (6 / 2) x 10^(5-2) = 3 x 10^3.

Front

How do you convert a number from standard form to scientific notation?

Back

Move the decimal point to create a number between 1 and 10, then count the number of places moved to determine the exponent. For example, 4500 = 4.5 x 10^3.

Front

What is the significance of the exponent in scientific notation?

Back

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

Front

How do you compare two numbers in scientific notation?

Back

Compare the exponents first. If they are the same, compare the coefficients. The number with the larger exponent is greater.

Front

What is an example of a real-world application of scientific notation?

Back

Scientific notation is used in fields like astronomy to express distances between stars, which can be extremely large.