How do you convert a small number to and from scientific notation?

Answer 1

Scientific notation is a way of representing numbers, usually very large or very small, in the form a*10^b where 1 <= |a| < 10 is a decimal number and b is an integer (negative or positive). a is called the mantissa and b is called the exponent. To convert a number to scientific notation: · If the number has no decimal point, then add one at the end. · Then move the decimal point to just after the first digit while counting the number of places you have moved it. · The mantissa of the new number, formed after moving the decimal point is a. · If the original number is negative, then so is a. · The number of places to the left that the decimal point was moved is b. If it was moved to the right, then bis negative. For example: 23045.06 becomes 2.304506*10^4 -23045.06 becomes -2.304506*10^4 0.00023004 becomes 2.3004*10^-4 To convert a number in scientific notation to normal form: · If b is positive, move the decimal point b places to the right in the number a – adding 0s at the end of the number, if required. · If b is negative, move the decimal point b places to the left in the number a – adding 0s immediately after the decimal point, if required. · The final expression has the same sign (+ or -) as a in the scientific form. For example: 4.56*10^5 = 456000. -4.56*10^5 = -456000. 4.56*10^-5 = 0.0000456