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 #1,240,000,000# in scientific notation, we will have to move the decimal point nine points to the left, which literally means dividing by #10^9#.
Hence in scientific notation #1,240,000,000=1.24xx10^9# (note that as we have moved decimal nine points to left we are multiplying by #10^9# to compensate for dividing by #10^9#.
