Scientific Notation Word Problems

Front

What is scientific notation?

Back

A way to express very large or very small numbers using powers of ten, making them easier to read and work with.

Front

How do you convert a number into scientific notation?

Back

Move the decimal point in the number until only one non-zero digit remains to its left, then multiply by 10 raised to the number of places the decimal was moved.

Front

What is the general form of scientific notation?

Back

a × 10^n, where 1 ≤ a < 10 and n is an integer.

Front

What operation would you use to find the difference between two numbers in scientific notation?

Back

Subtract the smaller number from the larger number.

Front

How do you add or subtract numbers in scientific notation?

Back

Make sure the exponents are the same, then add or subtract the coefficients.

Front

What operation would you use to find the total when multiplying a number in scientific notation?

Back

Multiply the coefficients and add the exponents.

Front

What operation would you use to find the average of a quantity in scientific notation?

Back

Divide the total by the number of items.

Front

How do you compare two numbers in scientific notation to see which is larger?

Back

Compare the exponents first; the larger exponent indicates the larger number. If exponents are the same, compare the coefficients.

Front

What is the significance of the exponent in scientific notation?

Back

It indicates the scale or size of the number, showing how many times to multiply by 10.

Front

How do you express a very small number in scientific notation?

Back

Use a negative exponent to indicate that the decimal point has moved to the left.