Convert to Scientific Notation
This Grade 6 algebra skill from Yoshiwara Elementary Algebra teaches students to convert standard decimal numbers into scientific notation. Scientific notation expresses very large or very small numbers as a product of a number between 1 and 10 and a power of 10, written as a × 10^n.
Key Concepts
Property A number is in scientific notation if it is expressed as the product of a number between 1 and 10 and a power of 10.
To Write a Number in Scientific Notation. 1. Locate the decimal point so that there is exactly one nonzero digit to its left. 2. Count the number of places you moved the decimal point: this determines the power of 10. a. If the original number is greater than 10, the exponent is positive. b. If the original number is less than 1, the exponent is negative.
Examples To write a large number in scientific notation: $475,000,000 = 4.75 \times 10^8$. To write a small number in scientific notation: $0.000082 = 8.2 \times 10^{ 5}$. To perform a calculation: $\frac{9.6 \times 10^8}{3 \times 10^3} = (\frac{9.6}{3}) \times 10^{8 3} = 3.2 \times 10^5$.
Common Questions
What is scientific notation?
Scientific notation is a way to write very large or very small numbers as a product: a × 10^n, where 1 ≤ a < 10 and n is an integer exponent.
How do you convert a large number to scientific notation?
Move the decimal point left until one non-zero digit remains before it. Count the places moved—that count becomes the positive exponent of 10.
How do you convert a small decimal to scientific notation?
Move the decimal point right until one non-zero digit is before it. The number of places moved becomes the negative exponent of 10.
What is 45,000 in scientific notation?
4.5 × 10^4, because the decimal moves 4 places to the left.
Where is converting to scientific notation taught in Grade 6?
Scientific notation conversion is covered in the Yoshiwara Elementary Algebra textbook for Grade 6.