Scientific Notation

Writing huge and tiny numbers

An interactive lesson with 6 steps, about 5 minutes: you predict, drag and solve, with instant feedback on every answer. It runs in your browser and needs JavaScript.

What you’ll learn

• Scientific notation: $a \times 10^n$ with $1 \le a < 10$; negative $n$ for numbers below 1.
• To multiply, multiply the front numbers and add the exponents; to divide, divide and subtract.
• Then tidy up so the front number is between 1 and 10.

Steps

1. Count the zeros
2. Powers of ten
3. Small numbers
4. Multiply
5. Light from the Sun
6. Atoms in a grain