document.write( "Question 116570: Write 3,400 in scientific notation. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #84733 by bucky(2189)\"\" \"About 
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In scientific notation you only have one place to the left of the decimal point.
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\n" ); document.write( "Therefore, for this problem you place the decimal point between the 3 and the 4, making the
\n" ); document.write( "number 3.400 [You can drop the last 2 zeros and just write 3.4]
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\n" ); document.write( "Next you multiply that number by 10 raised to a power that will get the decimal point back
\n" ); document.write( "to where it was originally.
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\n" ); document.write( "In this problem the decimal point was originally after the last zero. In other words the
\n" ); document.write( "original number was 3400. So to get the decimal point from between the 3 and 4 back to its
\n" ); document.write( "original position after the last zero, you would have to move it 3 places to the right. Therefore,
\n" ); document.write( "you need to multiply 3.4 by \"10%5E3\"
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\n" ); document.write( "So the answer to this problem is \"3.4+%2A+10%5E3\" where the symbol between the 3.4 and 10 is
\n" ); document.write( "the multiplication sign [normally an \"x\" or a \"*\" ].
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\n" ); document.write( "Sounds complex, but once you get used to it, it's pretty easy. Here are some more examples
\n" ); document.write( "with the answers ... just to help you get used to it and remember that the exponent
\n" ); document.write( "on the 10 is positive (moving to the right) and equals the number of places it has to
\n" ); document.write( "move to get back to the original given number:
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\n" ); document.write( "450,000 ===> 4.5 x 10^5
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\n" ); document.write( "406,000,000 ===> 4.06 x 10^8
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\n" ); document.write( "98,000,000,000 ===> 9.8 x 10^10
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\n" ); document.write( "And if you have to move the decimal point to the left to get it back to the original position,
\n" ); document.write( "that exponent is negative and equals the number of places the decimal point needs to move
\n" ); document.write( "to the left to get back to the given number. For example:
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\n" ); document.write( "0.000419 ===> 4.19 x 10^(-4)
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\n" ); document.write( "0.0000002165 ===> 2.165 x 10^(-7)
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\n" ); document.write( "0.0056001 ===> 5.6001 x 10^(-3)
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\n" ); document.write( "Hope this gives you a little insight to scientific notation.
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