Scientific notation, significant figures

and rounding
Scientific or Standard Notation is best used to express very large or very small numbers in a
compact, easy to read form, but can be used on any numbers.

Simply, the basic format of the notation is

+ n -> a positive index indicates a large number

a × 10n – n -> a negative index indicates a small number

where “a” is always a number between 1 and 10

10n indicates the magnitude or size of the number.

105 = 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 or 100000 (1 and 5 zeros)

3
10 = 10 × 10 × 10 or 1000 (1 and 3 zeros)
108 = 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 or 100000000 (1 and 8 zeros)

SN makes it is easy to compare sizes of numbers. Compare magnitude (n) FIRST

2.3 × 106 is bigger than 8.97 × 105 since the index 6 > 5
6.7 × 106 is bigger than 5.2 × 106 with the same index of 6, compare 6.7 and 5.2

a indicates the accuracy or precision of the number. It is determined by the number of

Significant Figures

3.11 is more accurate than 3.1 and 5.6027 is more accurate than 47

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♦ In general the more digits the number has the more accurate or precise the measurement.
♦ Significant figures are different to decimal places
♦ Non-zero digits are significant
♦ The digit zero is ONLY significant if contained between non-zero digits or it is after the
decimal point, at the end of a number

eg
3.11 (3 sf) 0.00005621 (4 sf)
3.1 (2 sf) 0.8 (1 sf)
5.6027 (5 sf) 6701000 (4 sf)
47 (2 sf) 0.00350 (3 sf)

More examples at
http://www.purplemath.com/modules/rounding2.htm

Rounding
Numbers are rounded for many reasons including
♦ Avoiding false precision eg 3.647382 mm
♦ Estimation required rather than precision
♦ Convenience

When rounding, the last retained digit rounds up only if the digit immediately following is 5 or
greater.

Lets look at the number 18.60235

Precision Significant figures Decimal places

5 18.602 18.60235
4 18.60 18.6024 (rounded up)
3 18.6 18.602
2 19 (rounded up) 18.60
1 20 (rounded up) 18.6
0 n/a 19 (rounded up)

Tip – be clear on whether you are rounding according to the number of decimal places or the
number of significant figures

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Converting from scientific notation

Examples

1) 3.4 × 109

This form tells us it is a big number and makes it easy to compare to other big numbers
3.4 × 109 =3.4 × 1 000 000 000 (109 indicates the magnitude or size of the number)

×1 000 000 000 means the decimal point moves 9 places to make the number 3.4 bigger
= 3 400 000 000 the decimal point is now here and not usually written

9 places – ‘4’ takes one place then fill with 8 zeros to the decimal point

2) 7.85 × 103

Well 7.85 × 103 = 7.85 × 1000 and x1000 means the decimal point moves 3 places to make the
number 7.85 bigger
= 7 850

3 places – ‘85’ takes 2 places then fill with one zero

6.7 × 106 = 6 700 000 (move 6 pls, 1 place then fill 5 x 0’s)
6.7421 × 106 =
6 742 100 (move 6 pls, 4 places then fill 2 x 0’s)
1.364 × 10 = 8
136 400 000 (move 8 pls, 3 places then fill 5 x 0’s)
7.34 × 10 =4
73 400 (move 4 pls, 2 places then fill 2 x 0’s)

3) 4.72 × 10−8

This form tells us it is a small number as the index is negative

4.72 × 10 −8 = 4.72 ÷ 100 000 000

The negative index means divide by 108

÷ 100 000 000 means the decimal point moves 8 places to make the number 4.72 smaller
= 0.000 000 0472

8 places – ‘4’ takes one place then fill with 7 zeros to the decimal point

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4)

Lets look at some more numbers in SN and convert them back into decimal numbers
7.85 × 10 −3 = 7.85 ÷ 1000
÷ 1000 means the decimal point moves 3 places to make the number 7.85 smaller
= 0.007 85

3 places – ‘7’ takes 1 place then fill with 2 zeros

6.7 × 10 −6 = 0.000 006 7 (move 6 pls, 1 place then fill 5 x 0’s)
6.7421 × 10 −6 =
0.000 006 742 1 (move 6 pls, 1 place then fill 5 x 0’s)
1.364 × 10 = −8
0.000 000 013 64 (move 8 pls, 1 place then fill 7 x 0’s)
7.34 × 10 =−4
0.000 734 (move 4 pls, 1 place then fill 3 x 0’s)

On your calculator

EXP 10x

Look for the <EXP> or <10n> buttons which can be used to enter numbers in scientific
notation directly into your calculator.

eg 2.31 EXP 6 displays as 2 310 000 or 2.31× 106 on your calculator

Converting to scientific notation

Count the number of places or digits between the decimal point and where the decimal
point needs to be in order to create a number between 1 and 10

Examples

1) 85 312 000

The decimal point is at the end of this number (as is the case for all whole numbers). We need
a number between 1 and 10, given the number above we require 8.5312, this requires the
decimal point to move 7 places or digits.

So we write 85 312 000 = 8.5312 × 107

(note we had a big number and so we have a positive index)

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2) 0.0312

3.12 is the number between 1 and 10 we require for scientific notation. This requires moving
the decimal point 2 places or digits.

0.0312 = 3.12 × 10−2

(note we had a small number and so we have a negative index)

3) 780 = 7.8 x 102

4) 470 000 000 000 = 4.7 x 1011

5) 0.000 000 02 = 2 x 10-8

6) 0.000 906 6 = 9.066 x 10-4

Exercises
• Be careful to ensure whether to use a negative or positive index

1 Where possible, round the following to

I. 3 significant figures
II. 2 decimal places

a 56210233 f 9.2917 k 4006.283

b 0.00052834 g 384.728 l 86254000
c 176.25 h 1.0009 m 0.566666
d 13.8816 I 0.0203 n 34000
e 0.4625 j 9738.8925 o 0.005006

2 Express the following as decimal numbers

a 8.71 x 106 f 6.39 x 10-6 k 5.017 x 10-8
b 5.2478 x 104 g 4.7115 x 103 l 3.7 x 10-5
c 8.04 x 105 h 3.22 x 10-2 m 1.6 x 102
d 8.32158 x 10 -4
I 9.305 x 105 n 4.7 x 100
e 2.0 x 10-3 j 7 x 108 o 6.480382 x 104

3 Express the following in Scientific notation (you may round to 3 sf for convenience)
a 56210233 f 9.2917 k 4006.283
b 0.00052834 g 384.728 l 86254000
c 176.25 h 1392.0009 m 0.566666
d 13.8816 I 0.0203 n 34000
e 0.4625 j 0.000097 o 0.005006

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Answers

1 I 3 Sig figs / II 2 dec places

a 56200000 n/a f 9.29 9.29 k 4010 4006.28
b 0.000528 0.00 g 385 384.73 l 86300000 n/a
c 176 176.25 h 1.00 1.00 m 0.567 0.57
d 13.9 13.88 I 0.0203 0.02 n 34000 n/a
e 0.463 0.46 j 9740 9738.89 o 0.00501 0.01

2 a 8 710 000 f 0.000 006 39 k 0.000 000 050 17

b 52 478 g 4 711.5 l 0.000 037
c 804 000 h 0.0322 m 160
d 0.000 832 158 I 930 500 n 4.7
e 0.002 j 700 000 000 o 64 803.82

3 a 5.6210233 x 107 f 9.2917 x 100 k 4.006283 x 103

b 5.2834 x 10-4 g 3.84728 x 102 l 8.6254 x 107
c 1.7625 x 102 h 1.3920009 x 103 m 5.66666 x 10-1
d 1.38816 x 101 I 2.03 x 10-2 n 3.4 x 104
e 4.625 x 10-1 j 9.7 x 10-5 o 5.006 x 10-3

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