How do you write # 173,000 # in scientific notation?

1 Answer
Feb 5, 2016

#173000=1.73*10^5# or 1.73E+5.

Explanation:

#173000=1.73*10^5#, which is sometimes written as 1.73E+5.

The simplest way to calculate this is to take the decimal point from where it starts - in this case it is invisible, but it is to the right of the last #0#, like this: #173000.#

We want to move it until there is only one digit to the left of it: this is the basis of scientific notation. We jump it #5# spaces to the left to do this.

To make sure we still have the same number, we have to multiply our new number, #1.73# by the number of powers of #10# we have jumped - in this case #5# of them. We write this in the form #10^5#.

Putting it together gives #1.73*10^5#.