1. Scientific Notation (small numbers)

2. What is scientific notation?
Scientific notation is a way of rewriting large or small numbers so that you have one digit in the one’s place multiplied by some power of ten.

3. Describe the steps of rewriting a small number in scientific notation.
Step 1: Move the decimal right, so that only one digit is in front of the decimal. Step 2: Multiply that number by a power of ten. (These exponents will be negative.)

4. Example 1: Write each number in scientific notation.
0.123
* move the decimal
1.23
* multiply by a power of ten
1.23 x 10-1
(The exponent is -1 because we moved the decimal 1 place right.)

5. Example 1: Write each number in scientific notation.
(B) * move the decimal 9.5 * multiply by a power of ten 9.5 x 10-3 (The exponent is -3 because we moved the decimal 3 places right.)

6. Example 2: Write each number in standard form.
(A) 2.34 x 10-2 * move the decimal left the number of the exponent * fill in spaces with zeros

7. Example 2: Write each number in standard form.
(B) 5.9 x 10-3 * move the decimal left the number of the exponent * fill in any open spaces with zeros