Question

How do you write `87000` in scientific notation?

Answer 1

`8.7*10^4`

Explanation:

When using scientific notation we want to keep the all the non-zero numbers that come before the string of zeroes, which are 8 and 7.

The decimal goes between the 8 and 7:
8.7

To get back to the original number we have to multiply 8.7 by 1000
or in other terms:

`8.7*10^4`

Answer 2

`8.7*10^4`

Explanation:

We have the number, `87000`.

In scientific notation, we would write the number with its first digit followed by a decimal point, and then the second digit of the number, and then multiplied by `10` to a power that places the decimal point where it belongs in the number.

And so, to write the number `87000` in scientific notation, we first take the first digit of the number `8` and put a decimal point after it.

The number is `8.` right now.

Now, we place the second digit in the number `87000`, that is `7`, and we get,

`8.7`

Final step is to multiply the number by `10` to a power that puts the decimal place where it makes the desired number.

We got:

`8.7*10^1=87`

`8.7*10^2=870`

`8.7*10^3=8700`

`8.7*10^4=87000`

And so, the scientific notation of this number would be `8.7*10^4`.