Scientific Notation &
Calculators
UNDERSTAND TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENTIFIC NOTATION
Focus 11 - Learning Goal: The student will be able to work with
integer exponents.
4
In addition to 3,
student will be
able to go above
and beyond by
applying what
they know about
working with
integer exponents.
3
The student will be
able to work with
integer exponents.
- Know and apply
the properties of
exponents.
- Simplify
numerical
expressions with
exponents.
- Perform
operations with
scientific notation.
2
With no help the
student has a
partial
understanding of
integer exponents.
- Is able to use
scientific notation
to estimate very
large or very small
numbers.
- Interpret
scientific notation
generated by
technology.
1
With help, the
student may have
a partial
understanding of
how to work with
integer exponents.
0
Even with help, the
student is unable
to work with
integer exponents.
The School Calculator
Follow these steps with the school calculator:
Input 10 • 10 • 10 … seven times.
Your display reads 10000000.
Press the 10n key and enter 7.
Your display reads 10000000.
The 10n key is a shortcut for powers of 10.
The School Calculator
2. 4 • 105
16 • 102
Try these calculations:
1. (2 • 103)(3 • 104)
Type 2, x,
10n,
3, x, 3,
x,10n,
4, =
Your answer reads 60000000.
Write this is scientific notation:
6 • 107
Type 4, x, 10n, 5, ÷, (, 16, x, 10n, 2,), =
Your answer reads 250.
Write this is scientific notation:
2.5 • 102
The School Calculator
Try this calculation:
(8 • 107)(3.24 • 103)
What did you get?
Error
The school calculator is incapable of doing any calculation over 107
power.
You will need a “real” scientific calculator.
Scientific Calculators
There is an optional setting on this calculator
to do all calculations in scientific notation.
You press the “2nd” key and the “DRG” then
select “SCI”
However, this calculator will automatically
convert answers to scientific notation even if
you are not in this special mode.
Scientific Calculators Video
http://safeshare.tv/w/IwExUYoZSa (only play first 2 minutes)
Scientific Calculators
Try this calculation on the Texas Instruments TI-30Xa
scientific calculator.
(7 • 108)(9 • 106)
Type 7, EE, 8, x, 9, EE, 6, =
This is what your display looks like.
When you write your answer, put
it in proper scientific notation form:
6.3 • 1015
Scientific Calculators
Try this calculation on the Texas Instruments TI-30XSIIS
scientific calculator.
(7 • 108)(9 • 106)
Type 7, 2nd, x-1 (see the EE above this button), 8, x, 9, 2nd, x-1, 6, =
This is what your display looks like.
When you write your answer, put
it in proper scientific notation form:
6.3 • 1015
Scientific Calculators
Try this calculation on the Texas Instruments TI-36X Pro
scientific calculator.
(7 • 108)(9 • 106)
Type 7, EE, 8, x, 9, EE, 6, =
This is what your display looks like.
When you write your answer, put
it in proper scientific notation form:
6.3 • 1015
Scientific Calculators
Try this calculation on the Casio fx-115ES Plus scientific
calculator.
(7 • 108)(9 • 106)
Type 7, x10x, 8, x, 9, x10x, 6, =
This is what your display looks like.
When you write your answer, put
it in proper scientific notation form:
6.3 • 1015
Team
Activity:
Ants versus
Humans
The average mass of an adult human is about 65,000 grams
while the average mass of an ant is approximately 4 • 10-3
grams.
The total human population in the world is approximately
6.84 billion, and it is estimated that there are currently about
10,000 trillion ants alive.
Based on these values, how does the total mass of all living
ants compare to the total mass of all living humans?
As a team work on this problem.
Create a visual display that you can share with the class of
how you came to your answer.
Show your work. You may use your calculators.