UNIT 2 LESSON 2
SCIENTIFIC NOTATION
OBJECTIVE: To write numbers in scientific notation and standard form (Standard: 2.1.8A; Anchor:
M7.A.1.2)
WARM-UP:
CLASS OPENER: Why use? To express the moon’s distance from Earth.
Copy and complete the table below.
FACTORS
PRODUCT
NUMBER OF
ZEROES IN
PRODUCT
10x1
10
1
10x10
100
? 2
10x10x10
? 1000
? 3
10x10x10x10
? 10,000
? 4
? Study the pattern in your table. How is the number of zeros in the product related to the number of
times 10 is used as a factor? (How many times 10 is multiplied by itself is the number of zeroes in the
product)
?How many times should 10 be used as a factor to obtain 100,000,000,000? (11)
FACTORS
PRODUCT
3.5 x 1,000
3,500
7.2 x 10,000
? 72,000
? 4.8 x 1,000,000
4,800,000
36.8 x 1,000,000,000
? 36,800,000,000
NEW VOCABULARY:
KEY CONCEPT: A number in SCIENTIFIC NOTATION is written as the product of two factors, one
greater than or equal to 1 and less than 10, and the other a power of 10.
7,500,000,000,000 = 7.2 x 10**12
NEW SKILLS:
EXAMPLES
1. Writing in Scientific Notation
a. The moon orbits the Earth at a distance of 384,000 km from Earth. Write this number in
scientific notation.
3.84000 <- Move the decimal point to get a factor greater than 1 but less than 10
384,000 = 3.84 x 100,000 <- Write as a product of 2 factors.
= 2.84 x 10**5 <- Write 100,000 as a power of 10.
The moon orbits Earth at a distance of 3.84 x 10**5 km.
2. Writing in Standard Form (simplify the product of the two factors)
a. The mean distance from Earth to mars in approximately 2.3 x 10**8 km. Write this
number in standard form.
METHOD 1: 2.3 x 10**8 = 2.3 x 100,000,000 <- Write as a product of 2 factors.
= 230,000,000
<- Multiply the factors
METHOD 2: 2.3 x 10**8 = 2.30000000
<- The exponent is 8. Move the decimal 8 places
= 230,000,000
to the right
The mean distance is approximately 230,000,000 km
ORAL REVIEW:
a. Write 396,000,000 in scientific notation (3.96 x 10**8)
b. Is 107 x 10**4 written in scientific notation? Explain NO, 107 is not less than 10
c. Write in standard form:
1. 1.2 x 10**2 (120)
2. 3.32 x 10**5 (332,000) 3. 6.443 x 10**9 (6,443,000,000)
HOMEWORK: Worksheet Scientific Notation (Page 35/36 Pre-Algebra by Mark Twain Media) copy
from worksheet
PROJECT FOR LAB: Interactive Scientific Notation Large (will need sign-off sheets to complete and
lab)