Question

When translating a number to the scientific notion (ex: 0.000157), do you count the zero to the left of the decimal point? Like would the scientific notion of 0.000157 be 1.57 x 10^-4 ? If you could explain how scientific notion works that be great. thanks

Answer 1

You do not count the zero to the left of the decimal

Explanation:

That zero is just a placeholder as there is nothing to the left of the decimal, you could also write the number as .000157

Your answer is correct, 0.000157 is 1.57x10^-4

Scientific notation is just expressing numbers in their exponential form. The power/exponent is found by counting how many times the decimal has moved to the right or the left.

Answer 2

Yeah, you’re right, I like to think that when the number is a decimal and I have to put it in scientific notation the exponent next to the 10 is negative and then when the number is a whole number and I have to change it to scientific notation then the exponent next to the ten is positive.