PEAZIT Aha card
Go straight to resources ↓Scientific notation: the exponent tracks scale
A nonzero number has the form a × 10^n with 1 ≤ |a| < 10. The exponent compensates for moving the decimal point.
| Expression | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0.0042 | The number is less than 1. |
| 4.2 × 0.001 | The coefficient 4.2 is a thousand times the original number. |
| 4.2 × 10^(−3) | One thousandth is 10^(−3). |
One worked example
- 0.0042The number is less than 1.
- 4.2 × 0.001The coefficient 4.2 is a thousand times the original number.
- 4.2 × 10^(−3)One thousandth is 10^(−3).
Watch out: A normalised coefficient must satisfy 1 ≤ |a| < 10. 65 × 10^4 has the correct value but is not normalised.
Goal, prerequisites and card origin
What you will learn: Write a number as a coefficient times a power of ten.
What you need first: Decimals and powers of ten.
An original PEAZIT working card. Independent expert review and effectiveness testing have not yet taken place. · v1
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A nonzero number has the form a × 10^n with 1 ≤ |a| < 10. The exponent compensates for moving the decimal point.