Scientific Notation

By Nicole Freeman
 Scientific notation (also known as standard form or standard index form) is a
different way of writing numbers and is generally used when a number is really big
or small and is too inconvenient to be written in decimal form.

Examples:

Decimal Form Scientific Notation Form

67,100,000,000,000 6.71 1013

578.00 5.7800 x 102

.000000769 7.69 x 10-7

Number before the
decimal MUST be Exponent
greater than or (how many places the
equal to one, but decimal moves)
less than 10.

23
1 |x| < 10
6.022 10
Coefficient Base
(always 10)
(all are significant
figures)
Significant Figures
Significant Insignificant

Any integer other than 0 Leading zeros

56746 .000000798

Imbedded zeros Trailing zeros (if there is not a decimal

point established)
10,207
1000
Trailing zeros (if there is
a decimal point
established)

100.0
Significant Figures (Continued)
If the number is an answer from an addition or 1000.67 + 1000.376 = 2001.046
subtraction problem, round to the same number
of decimal places as the addend with the least
amount of decimal places.
2.00 103

If the number is an answer from a multiplication 7891 987 = 7788417

or division problem, it contains no more
significant figures than the factor with the least
amount of significant figures.
7.79 106
How to Convert to Scientific Notation
1. Identify the number of significant figures in the original number.
2. Place the decimal correctly within those significant figures; disregard other
numbers (until decimal placement).
3. Multiply this number by 10 (Leave it written out).
4. Count how many places the decimal moved. This number becomes the
exponent to 10.
Practice Problems (Converting to Scientific Notation)
1. .0000876 4. 178900.1 - 678.98 =

2. 7465400 5. 129802 200. =

3. 1900.0
 1. Identify the number of significant figures in
the original number.
1. .0000876 2. Place the decimal correctly within those
significant figures; disregard other
numbers (until decimal placement).
3. Multiply this number by 10 (Leave it written
out).
2. 876 8.76 4. Count how many places the decimal
moved. This number becomes the
exponent to 10.

3. 8.76 10

4. .0000876 Counting to the right = negative

exponent
Left = positive exponent

8.76 10-5
5
1. 7465400
2. 74654 7.4654
3. 7.4654 10
4. 7465400

6
6
7.4654 10
1. 1900.0
2. 19000 1.9000

3. 1.9000 10
4. 1900.0
3
1.9000 x 103
 If the number is an answer
1. 178900.1 - 678.98 = 178221.12 from an addition or
subtraction problem,
round to the same number
2. 17822112 1.7822112 of decimal places as the
addend with the least
amount of decimal places.
1.8
3. 1.8 10
4. 178900.1
1.8 105
5
 If the number is an answer
1. 129802 200. = 649.01 from a multiplication or
division problem, it
contains no more
2. 64901 6.4901 significant figures than
the factor with the least
amount of significant
6.49 figures.

3. 6.49 10
4. 649.01
2 6.49 102
Practice Problems (Converting to Scientific Notation)
1. .0000876 4. 178900.1 - 678.98 =

8.76 10-5 1.8 105

2. 7465400 5. 129802 200. =

7.4654 106 6.49 102

3. 1900.0

1.9000 x 103