Give the Introduction to Scientific Notation?
In mathematics, it can be very difficult and time-consuming to do calculations involving very large and very small numbers. This is why a method called scientific notation was developed. A large number such as 1,700,000,000 can be expressed as
1.7x109
Alternatively, very small numbers, such as 0.000006 can be expressed in scientific notation as
6.0x13-6
Scientific notation has three parts:
1. a number greater than or equal to 1 and less than 10
2. a multiplication sign, and
3. a power of 10.
To translate a number into scientific notation, first move the decimal point to get a number between 1 and 10.
Multiply that number times ten.
Raise the ten to the power of the number of places you moved the decimal. The power is positive if you moved the decimal to the left, and negative if you moved the decimal to the right.
345000 = 3.45 x105
0.0067 = 6.7 x10-3