How do you convert 0.00083 into scientific notation?

1 Answer
Jul 13, 2015

The number in standard scientific notation is #8.3× 10^(-4)#.

In scientific notation, numbers are written in the form #a × 10^b#, where #a# is the "pre-exponential" part and #10^b# is the "exponential part".

Your number in decimal form is #0.00083#.

The negative sign remains unchanged.

To get to "standard" scientific notation, we move the decimal point so there is only one non-zero digit in front of the decimal point.

So, #0.00083# becomes #00008.3#.

The leading zeroes are not significant, so #00008.3# becomes #8.3#.

We moved the decimal point four places, so the exponent is #4#.

We moved the decimal point to the right, so the exponent is negative.

The exponential part is therefore #10^(-4)#.

#0.00083 = 8.3 × 10^(-4)#