TECHNICAL MATHEMATICS
Engineering Notation
3e
In mathematical and scientific work,
numbers can be very large or very small.
Speed of Light: 30 000 000 000 cm/s
Mass of the Earth: 5 980 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 kg.
Mass of an electron: 0.000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 911 kg.
Capacitance in an electrical circuit: 0.000 000 000 002 4 F
Engineering Notation:
6
Exponent is a factor of three (3). 72.3  10 A
Number is written in the form: B x 10n
B is a number from 1 to less than 1000;
n is a multiple of three
To write a number in Engineering Notation, move the decimal in groups of three (3) until you
have a number between 1 and 1000.
Example: Write 593 200 000 in engineering notation:
593200000. Move the decimal in groups of three until you have a number
between 1 & 1000, i.e 593.2
Answer: 593.2 x 106
Example: Write 0.00005932 in engineering notation:
0.00005932. Move the decimal in groups of three until you have a number
between 1 & 1000, i.e 59.32
Answer: 59.32 x 10–6
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TECHNICAL MATHEMATICS
Change to engineering notation:
1. 0.82
2. 0.000 043
3. 50 340
4. 0.000 368 0
5. 593290000
6. 0.004009
7. 120020
8. 9274000
9. 0.0900
10. 4.275 x 10–1
11. 73.5 x 102
12. 91.3 x 104
13. 489 x 10–5
To change engineering notation to ordinary notation: Reverse the process.
64.6 x 103 = 64.6 x 1000 = 64 600
Change the following to ordinary numbers:
14. 48.5 x 106 =
15. 712.8 x 103 =
16. 6.93 x 10-6 =
17. 109.0 x 10-9 =
18. 90.07 x 103 =
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TECHNICAL MATHEMATICS
ANSWERS:
1. 820 x 10–3
2. 43 x 10–6
3. 50.34 x 103
4. 368 x 10-6
5. 593.29 x 106
6. 4.009 x 10–3
7. 120.02 x 103
8. 9.274 x 106
9. 90 x 10–3
10. 427.5 x 10–3
11. 7.35 x 103
12. 913 x 103
13. 4.89 x 10–3
14. 48 500 000
15. 712 800
16. 0.00000693
17. 0.000 000 109 0
18. 90070
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