Scientific Notation and Significant Digits

Question 1

What is scientific notation?

Answer 1

A way to write either really big numbers or really small numbers in a shorter form.

Question 2

Scientific notation always takes on the following form?

Answer 2

N X 10^n
N= is a number between 1 and 10(it represents the actual number)
n=is the exponent and can either be positive(if the actual number is large) or negative(if the actual number is small) whole number represents the number of decimal places moved).

Question 3

How do you rewrite a number in scientific notation?

Answer 3

1. To find N: place the decimal after the first real digit in the number.
2. To find n: Count the number of decimals that were moved from the original decimal position.
   - If you moved the decimal to the left n will be positive.
   - If you moved the decimal to the right n will be negative.

Question 4

What are significant digits?

Answer 4

• The meaningful digits in a measured or calculated quantity.
• Sometimes it doesn’t make sense to give all of the digits in a number.

Question 5

What are significant digits in science?

Answer 5

• Exact: Digits before the decimal

- Inexact numbers: Any measurement.

Question 6

What are the rules of determining the number of significant digits?

Answer 6

1. In numbers that do not contain zeros, all digits are significant.
2. All zeros between significant(nonzero) digits are significant.
3. Zeros to the left of the first nonzero(leading zero) are not significant.
4. All zeros to the right of the first nonzero(trailing zeros) are significant.
5. For number that do not contain decimal places, trailing zeros may or may not be significant.

Question 7

Significant digits when calculating multiplying and dividing.

Answer 7

When multiplying or dividing numbers, your answer must be stated in the least number of significant digits given in a value in the question.

Question 8

Significant digits when calculating adding or subtracting.

Answer 8

When adding or subtracting, your answer is given in the least number of decimal places given in a value in the question or the last digit retained is set by the first doubtful digit.