Question

How do you write `479,001,600` in scientific notation?

Answer 1

The number in scientific notation is `4.790016xx10^8`.

Explanation:

`479,001,600`

Move the decimal to the left until it is after the first digit, which is 4, to get `4.790016`. This is called the coefficient, which is always a number with one non-zero digit in front of the decimal. The coefficient also contains only significant figures, which is why I left out the final zeroes.

Now multiply the coefficient times the base 10 raised to a power that is equal to the number of places the decimal was moved. Since the decimal was moved to the left, the exponent will be positive. This is because when we expand the number, we'll move the decimal back to the right where it was originally.The decimal was moved to the left eight places, so the exponent will be eight, `10^8`.

The number in scientific notation is `4.790016xx10^8`.