Converting Numbers to Scientific Notation
1) find the number of significant figures
- see Atlantic Pacific web page
2) write down the numbers
- example 1: 0.00010
- two significant figures: 0.00010
- 10
3) put a decimal point after the first number
- 1.0
4) write “x 10" after the significant numbers
- 1.0 x 10
5) the find the correct exponent, count the number of places the decimal place was
moved from the original number to the significant figures number
- 0.00010 and 1.0
- in this case 4 places
- place the number 4 above the 10 as an exponent
- 1.0 x104
6) look at the original number
- if the original number is equal to or greater that 1
- the exponent is positive
- if the original number is less than 1
- the exponent is negative
- in this case the number is less than 1, therefor the exponent is negative and a
minus must be placed in front of the four
- 1.0 x10-4
7) example 2:
- 721000 L 721 L 7.21 L 7.21 x 10 L 7.21 x 105
8) Don’t forget to add units to your number!