Question

Is the number `12.38 X 10^2` in scientific notation and how do you know?

Answer 1

Technically `12.38 xx 10^2` is in scientific notation ; any number expressed in the form `a xx 10^b` is in scientific notation.

However, it is not in normalized scientific notation . In normalized scientific notation, there is exactly 1 non-zero digit to the left of the decimal point in the `a` term (with an exception being made for zero which in scientific notation is written as `0.0 xx 10^1`).

In normalized scientific notation, your original value would be written as `1.238 xx 10^3`

Answer 2

It's not in correct scientic notation.

The correct notation should be `1.238*10^3`

The rule is that the number before the `10`power must be from `1` up to (but not including) `10`, so you allways have just one (non-zero) digit before the decimal point.

The exception is when you have a table of values. In that case you use the same `10`power throughout (example: a table of specific masses for different materials).