Erin M. answered • 02/25/13
Science, Math, French, ESL, Test Prep from a Certified Teacher!
Numbers in scientific notation consist of two parts - a base number that is greater than or equal to one and less than 10, and a multiplier of 10 raised to an exponent.
Locate the decimal point in the number in question (if no decimal point, create one at the very end of the number). Move the decimal point until you have created a number that is greater than or equal to one and less than 10 (the decimal moves to the right if the starting number is less than 1 and to the left if the starting number is greater than 1). This number becomes the base number. The number of spaces the decimal point is moved becomes the exponent in the multiplier of 10 (it is a negative exponent when the decimal point was moved to the right - ie, when the starting number was less than 1).
0.00063 --> 6.3 x 10^-4 (decimal was moved four spaces to the right)
