How do you express 0.096 in scientific notation?

1 Answer
Aug 6, 2016

#0.096=9.6xx10^(-2)#

Explanation:

In scientific notation, we write a number so that it has single digit to the left of decimal sign and is multiplied by an integer power of #10#.

Note that moving decimal #p# digits to right is equivalent to multiplying by #10^p# and moving decimal #q# digits to left is equivalent to dividing by #10^q#.

Hence, we should either divide the number by #10^p# i.e. multiply by #10^(-p)# (if moving decimal to right) or multiply the number by #10^q# (if moving decimal to left).

In other words, it is written as #axx10^n#, where #1<=a<10# and #n# is an integer.

To write #0.096# in scientific notation, we will have to move the decimal point two points to right, which literally means multiplying by #10^2#.

Hence in scientific notation #0.096=9.6xx10^(-2)# (note that as we have moved decimal two points to the right, we are multiplying by #10^2# and hence to compensate we should divide by #10^2# i.e. multiply by #10^(-2)#).