|
| |
Large Numbers
| A simple example is that 10,000 can be written as 10 to the fourth power.
(These examples are also shown in example 10 in your workbook.) |
|
| Next, you can see how 30,000 can be written as 3 times 10,000; and since
10,000 is 10 to the fourth, then 30,000 can be written as 3 times 10 to the fourth. |
| 30,000 = 3 x 10,000 = 3x104 |
|
| Here is a different way of figuring this change. If you start with 30,000
and you were to move the decimal place to the left until it was next to the 3, which is
the first non-zero digit in the number, you would have moved the decimal four places. The
number of places the decimal has to move becomes the exponent for the 10. So 30,000 is
equal to 3 times 10 to the fourth power, the same as before. |
30,000 = 30,000. = 3x104
< <<<
|
|
| Here is another example. Thirty-four thousand can be written as 3.4 times
10,000, which in turn can be written as 3.4 times 10 to the fourth. |
| 34,000 = 3.4 x 10,000 = 3.4x104 |
|
| Looking at it another way, you must move the decimal point four places to
get it in position just to the right of the first non-zero digit in the number (the 3). So
34,000, with the decimal point moved over four places, becomes 3.4 times 10 to the fourth. |
34,000 = 34,000. = 3.4x104
< <<< |
|
| The same process is shown for changing 34,567 into scientific notation. In
scientific notation the decimal always goes just to the right of the first non-zero digit. |
| 34,567 = 3.4567 x 10,000 = 3.4567x104 |
34,567 = 34,567. = 3.4567x104
< <<< |
|
|
