Review of Introductory Mathematics
SCIENTIFIC NOTATION
Example 1:
Circulating water flows at 440,000 gallons per minute. Express this number in scientific
notation.
Solution:
440,000 becomes 4.4 x 10n
n = +5 because the decimal is shifted five places to
the left.
440,000 = 4.4 x 105
Example 2:
Express 0.0000247 in scientific notation.
Solution:
n= -5 because the decimal is shifted five places to
the right.
0.0000247 = 2.47 x 10-5
Example 3:
Express 34.2 in scientific notation.
Solution:
n= 1 because the decimal is shifted one place to the
left.
34.2 = 3.42 x 101
Converting Scientific Notation to Integers
Often, numbers in scientific notation need to be put in integer form.
To convert scientific notation to integers:
Step 1:
Write decimal number.
Step 2:
Move the decimal the number of places specified by the power of ten: to
the right if positive, to the left if negative. Add zeros if necessary.
Rev. 0
Page 69
MA-01
