How To Change Numbers Into and Out of Scientific Notation
Scientific notation can be used to represent large or small numbers.Changing numbers into and out of scientific notation is easy.Follow these steps to find out how to do it.
Step 1: Start with a small number.
If you want to convert it into scientific notation, you need to start with a very large number.For example, 10,000,000,000,000 is very large.
Step 2: The original number has a decimal point.
The first step is to convert the number into a scientific symbol.Write "x" over the decimal point if you're working with the number.
Step 3: There is only one non-zero digit in front of the number if there is a new decimal point added.
If the first non-zero number is 4, then place the decimal point after the 4 so that the new number reads 000004.205.This works for a lot of people.10,000,000 would become 1.0090250000000.
Step 4: Drop any insignificant digits if you rewrite this number.
There are zeros that aren't in between other zero digits.The zeroes at the end are insignificant, but the zeros between the 1 and 9 and the 2 are significant.This number should be changed to 1.009025.The leading zeros are insignificant in the number.This number should be changed to 4.205.
Step 5: After the number has been rewritten, write "x 10".
Write 4.20 x 10.
Step 6: Take the number of times you moved the original decimal point.
You moved the decimal point over a number of times.You moved the decimal point 13 times in the case of 10,090,250,000,000 to 1.0090250000000.
Step 7: Write that number over the number 10.
Write x 10 for 1.0090250000000.Write x 10 on a piece of paper.
Step 8: If the exponent should be positive or negative, you should make a decision.
The number should be positive if it was large.The original number should be negative if it was very small.The very large number 10,090,250,000,000 becomes 1.009025 x 10 while the very small number 0.00004205 becomes 4.
Step 9: Make sure you round your number as much as possible.
This is dependent on how certain you are in your answer.Depending on how accurate you need to be, 1.009025 x 10 might be better off than 1.009 x10 or even 1.01 x10.
Step 10: Do you want to move the decimal point to the left or right?
If the "x 10" part of the number is positive or negative, you will be moving the decimal places to the right.
Step 11: Write down the number of places you need to move the decimal.
The decimal point will be moved over five spaces to the right in the case of the number.If the exponent is a -7, you move left seven places, and if it's a 5, move right five places.
Step 12: Add zeroes to every empty space with the decimal point moved over.
If you are moving left or right, you will have to add them in front or behind the number.If you move the decimal point over 12 spaces to the right, the new number becomes 5208100000000.
Step 13: After moving over the correct amount of spaces, write the new decimal point.
Step 14: If you want to add a few more words, add them to any number.
Go through the digits, from the right to the left.5208100000000 becomes 5,208,100,000,000,000.