Scientific Notation and Sig Figs

Front

What is scientific notation?

Back

A method of expressing numbers as a product of a coefficient and a power of 10, e.g., 3.0 x 10^4.

Front

How do you convert a number to scientific notation?

Back

Move the decimal point in the number until only one non-zero digit remains to the left, then count the number of places moved to determine the exponent of 10.

Front

What is the standard form of a number?

Back

A way of writing numbers without exponents, e.g., 5000 instead of 5 x 10^3.

Front

What are significant figures?

Back

Digits in a number that contribute to its precision, including all non-zero digits, zeros between significant digits, and trailing zeros in the decimal part.

Front

How many significant figures are in the number 0.00456?

Back

3 significant figures (4, 5, and 6).

Front

How many significant figures are in the number 1001?

Back

4 significant figures (1, 0, 0, and 1).

Front

What is the rule for counting significant figures in decimal numbers?

Back

All non-zero digits are significant, and any zeros between them are also significant.

Front

What is the rule for counting significant figures in whole numbers without a decimal?

Back

Only the non-zero digits are significant; leading zeros are not significant.

Front

Convert 0.00045 to scientific notation.

Back

4.5 x 10^-4.

Front

Convert 250000 to scientific notation.

Back

2.5 x 10^5.