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Not_A_Math_Wiz_Guitarist
Jan 30, 2007, 07:03 PM
HELP! I don't know how to do this scientific notation stuff.
Look, I AM NOT searching on this thing for ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS. I am searching this place for GUIDANCE with these questions. Just PLEASE tell me how you do this and how you get all these stinkin' zeroes!
Here's the things that are keeping me stumped:

Directions:
Rewrite in scientific notation.

1.) 564,200
2.) 9.32
3.) 0.15
4.) 0.0083
5.) 4,000,000

RubyPitbull
Jan 30, 2007, 07:26 PM
Okay Guitarist.

Please visit this website. I was never very good at this kind of math too. But, be forewarned. I did not search for a sight that will do the answers for you but explains how to understand it. Not sure if this will help you but at least I tried. :)

Scientific Notation (http://chemed.chem.purdue.edu/genchem/topicreview/bp/ch1/scinot.html)

Capuchin
Jan 30, 2007, 11:22 PM
Okay I'll guide you through 1 and 4

1) 564200

you need to make it so that there's only one digit before the decimal point
so we need to divide it by 10^5 (5 0's)

this gives us 5.642. Now we have to put in 10^5 in order to make it the same number
so the answer is 5.642 x 10^5

4) 0.0083

We have to times this by 10^3 to make the 8 before the decimal point

now we have 8.3, what do we have to add to make it back to the first number? We have to divide by 10^3 OR TIMES BY 10^-3

so the answer is 8.3x10^-3

asterisk_man
Feb 2, 2007, 08:59 AM
I'd just add that some people may not understand how you know you need to divide by 10^5 or multiply by 10^3. The rule I'd give is you need to count how many places you want to move the decimal point and use that number. For 564200 you need to move the decimal point 5 spaces to the left so that's 10^5 for 0.0083 you need to move the decimal point 3 spaces to the right so that's 10^-3