Question

Move the decimal to the same number of places as the exponent.

A) Right
B) Left
C) Up
D) Down

Answer 1

To determine the direction to move the decimal point in scientific notation, move it to the right for positive exponents and to the left for negative exponents. For instance, 1.6 × 10² becomes 160, and 2.4 × 10²⁻ becomes 0.024.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question relates to moving the decimal point when working with numbers in scientific notation or when multiplying by powers of 10. The direction that you move the decimal point depends on the sign and magnitude of the exponent.

• If the exponent is positive, move the decimal to the right.
• If the exponent is negative, move the decimal to the left.

For example, to convert 1.6 × 10² into standard form, you would move the decimal point to the right two places, resulting in 160. For 2.4 × 10²⁻ (⁻2), you would move the decimal point to the left two places to get 0.024. This process is essential for expressing numbers in scientific notation or for performing calculations involving powers of 10.