How do you rewrite a number using scientific notation?

How do you rewrite a number using scientific notation?

• A. Place the decimal after the first digit and multiply by 10
• B. Use a number between 1 and 10 multiplied by 10 raised to the appropriate exponent
• C. Add zeros to the end equal to the exponent
• D. Subtract the exponent from the coefficient

Answer: (B)

Scientific notation expresses a number as a coefficient between 1 and 10 multiplied by a power of ten. To rewrite a number, move the decimal point so the coefficient lies in that 1–10 range, and count how many places you moved the decimal to determine the exponent of ten. A positive exponent accompanies numbers larger than 1 (where you’ve moved the decimal to the left), while a negative exponent accompanies numbers smaller than 1 (where you’ve moved it to the right). For example, 4,500 becomes 4.5 × 10^3, and 0.0032 becomes 3.2 × 10^-3. This form provides a consistent, compact way to handle very large or very small values. The other ideas—placing the decimal after the first digit without the proper exponent, adding zeros to the end, or subtracting the exponent from the coefficient—don’t produce the standardized form or preserve the correct value.

Scientific notation expresses a number as a coefficient between 1 and 10 multiplied by a power of ten. To rewrite a number, move the decimal point so the coefficient lies in that 1–10 range, and count how many places you moved the decimal to determine the exponent of ten. A positive exponent accompanies numbers larger than 1 (where you’ve moved the decimal to the left), while a negative exponent accompanies numbers smaller than 1 (where you’ve moved it to the right). For example, 4,500 becomes 4.5 × 10^3, and 0.0032 becomes 3.2 × 10^-3. This form provides a consistent, compact way to handle very large or very small values. The other ideas—placing the decimal after the first digit without the proper exponent, adding zeros to the end, or subtracting the exponent from the coefficient—don’t produce the standardized form or preserve the correct value.