Scientific Notation I feel dumb for even asking

In summary, the problem asks for the answer to be shown in the form of a,k, with a being the base number and k being the exponent in scientific notation. The initial answer provided was 9.782701624,1, but it was deemed incorrect and the correct answer was 9.78 x 101. After multiple attempts and guidance, the final correct answer was determined to be 9.78,0. The program used for the problem required the answer to have the same number of significant digits as the numbers given in the problem.
  • #1
mcknia07
284
8
The problem is attached...

It asks for the answer to be shown in the form a,k. Whereas a is the base number and k is the exponent, with using the form of scientific notation.The answer I came up with was 9.782701624,1. I was told it's wrong and I don't know what the real answer would be then. I figured it out like 10 times.

Any help would be nice. Thanks!
 

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  • #2
mcknia07 said:
The problem is attached...

It asks for the answer to be shown in the form a,k. Whereas a is the base number and k is the exponent, with using the form of scientific notation.The answer I came up with was 9.782701624,1. I was told it's wrong and I don't know what the real answer would be then. I figured it out like 10 times.

Any help would be nice. Thanks!

Too many digits.

All of the numbers are given to 2 places after the decimal.

The answer should be as well. 9.78 x 101
 
  • #3
Thank you Lowly

That was actually like my first answer according to like the rule of thumb of significant figures.

With that answer I got the response... According to your answer, you got 97.8. Is this correct? Check your calculations.

Ok I just figured it out, they wanted 9.78,0...I hate this program that I have to work with, it sucks majorly.
 
  • #4
You need to give your answer to the same number of significant digits as the numbers in the problem.
 

1. What is scientific notation?

Scientific notation is a way of writing numbers that are very large or very small in a more compact and convenient form. It is written in the form of a number between 1 and 10 multiplied by a power of 10. For example, 3,000,000 can be written as 3 x 106 in scientific notation.

2. Why is scientific notation used?

Scientific notation is used to represent numbers that are too large or too small to be easily written or understood in standard form. It also allows for easier comparison and calculation of these numbers, as they are written in a standardized format.

3. How do you convert a number to scientific notation?

To convert a number to scientific notation, move the decimal point to the right or left until there is only one non-zero digit to the left of the decimal point. Count the number of places you moved the decimal point and use that as the exponent of 10. For example, 0.0000456 would be written as 4.56 x 10-5 in scientific notation.

4. What is the difference between standard form and scientific notation?

The main difference between standard form and scientific notation is that standard form is used to represent numbers as they are, while scientific notation is used to represent numbers in a more compact and standardized form. Standard form also does not use exponents, while scientific notation always includes an exponent of 10.

5. How is scientific notation used in scientific research?

In scientific research, very large and very small numbers are often encountered, such as distances between planets or the size of atoms. Scientific notation is used to represent these numbers in a more manageable and consistent way, making it easier for scientists to work with them in calculations and comparisons.

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