FUNDAMENTALS OF MATHEMATICS

MODULE 4 SCIENTIFIC NOTATION & SIGNIFICANT FIGURES

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this module, the students will be able to:

1. Define scientific notation
2. Discuss significant figures
3. Specify significant figures
4. Convert scientific notation

INTRODUCTION

Scientific notation and significant figures are two important terms in physics. In scientific
notation, numbers are expressed by some power of ten multiplied by a number between 1 and
10, while significant figures are accurately known digits and first doubtful digit in any
measurement.

A significant figure is one, which is known to be reasonable and reliable. All the
accurately known digits and first doubtful digit in an expression are called significant figures.
Physics is based on measurements. But unfortunately, when a physical quantity is measured,
then there is inevitably some uncertainty about its find value. This uncertainty may be due to a
number of reasons. One reason is the type of instrument is being used. We know that every
measuring instrument is calibrated to a certain smallest division and this fact put a limit to the
degree of accuracy which may be achieved while measuring with it. Suppose we want to
measure the length of a straight line with the help of a rod calibrated in millimeters. Let the
endpoint of the line lies between 10.3 and 10.4 cm marks. By convention, if the end of the line
does not touch or cross the midpoint of the smallest division, the reading is confined to the
previous division. In case the end of the line seems to be touching or have crossed the
midpoint, the reading is extended to the next division.

LESSON

Scientific Notation
All numbers, regardless of magnitude, can be expressed in the form:
N x 10n
Where:

• N is a number, either an integer or decimal, between 1 and 10.

• n is a positive or negative integer.

When written in standard form there must be one digit, and only one digit to the left of the
decimal point in the number N.
• standard: 1.23x106
• non-standard: 123x104
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FUNDAMENTALS OF MATHEMATICS
Scientific notation examples
• The number 15000000 km can be written as 1.5 ×1011 m.
• 0.00000548 S can be written as 5.48 ×10-6 s.
• Mass of Earth is written as 6×10 24 kg..
• The radius of the earth is written as 6.4 ×104 m.

Positive exponents
36,600

1. a number greater than 1

exponent of 10 is a positive whole number
2. value of the exponent
number of places the decimal point must be moved so that the notation is in standard
form
3. 36,600 x 100
For each place the decimal point is moved to the left, add 1 to the original exponent

3.66 x 104

Negative exponents
0.00563

1. a number less than 1

exponent of 10 is a positive whole number
2. value of the exponent
number of places the decimal point must be moved so that the notation is in standard
form
3. 0.00563 x 100
For each place the decimal point is moved to the right, subtract 1 from the original
exponent

5.63 x 10-3

Exponential notation: Multiplication

When multiplying numbers written in exponential notation:

1. Multiply digit terms in the normal fashion.

2. Obtain the exponent in the product by adding the exponents of the factors multiplied.
3. If necessary, adjust the exponent to leave just one digit to the left of the decimal point.

(1.25x105) x (4.0x10-2) = (1.25x4.0) x 105+(-2) = 5.0x103

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FUNDAMENTALS OF MATHEMATICS
Exponential notation: Division
When dividing numbers written in exponential notation:

1. Divide the digit terms in the normal fashion.

2. Obtain the exponent in the quotient by subtracting the exponent of the divisor from the
exponent of the dividend.
3. If necessary, adjust the exponent to leave just one digit to the left of the decimal point.

(7.5x106) / (3.0x10-2) = (7.5/3.0) x 106-(-2) = 2.5x108

dividend divisor

Rewriting Decimal to Scientific Notation and vice-versa

Decimal to scientific notation examples:
• 0.2 • 0.006
Solution: 0.2 = 2 × 10¹ Solution: 0.006=6 × 103

• 0.00063 • 0.00000678
Solution: 6 × 10 4 Solution: 0.00000678 = 6.78 ×10 8

Scientific notation to decimal

• 3 ×10-1
Solution:3 ×10-1 =0.3

• 6 × 10- 4
Solution: 0.0006

Scientific notation to standard notation

In standard notation there is only one non zero number on the left side of the zero.Below
examples has been given:

• 1168 ×10 -27

Solution: 1168 ×10 -27 =1.168 ×10 -24

• 725 ×10 -5
Solution: 725 ×10 -5 =7.25 ×10 -3

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FUNDAMENTALS OF MATHEMATICS
Significant Figures
Significant figures are total number of digits in any number including the last digit whose value is
uncertain.
Rules for Calculating Number of the Significant Figures
• All non-zero digits are significant. For example, 866 has three significant figures and 0.866
also has three significant figures.

• Zeros to the left of the first non-zero digit in the number are not significant. For example,
0.008 has only one significant figure and 0.0085 has two significant figures.

• Zeros between non-zero digits are significant. For example, 3.05 has three significant
figures.

• Zeros to the right of the decimal point are significant. For example, 6.00, 0.60 and 0.6000
have 3, 2 and 4 significant figures.

• If a number ends with zeros that does not have decimal, the zeros are not significant. For
example: 3800 has two significant figures.

Significant figures examples according to the rules which are mentioned above are:
• In 15.2 significant figures
are 3 .
• In 203 significant figures
are 3.
• In 2100 significant figures
are 2
• In 21.00 significant figures
are 4.
• In 0.002 significant figures
are 1.
• In 10.40 significant figures
are 4.

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FUNDAMENTALS OF MATHEMATICS
Scientific Notation and Significant Figures
Scientific notation is the representation of numbers in
N x 10n form.
Where N = a number with a single non-zero digit to the left of the decimal point.
n = some integer

For example, 3800 can be expressed in scientific notation in the following forms
depending upon whether it has two three or four significant figures:

Scientific Notation of 3800 No. of Significant Figures

3.8 x 103
Two Significant Figures
3.80 x 10 3
Three Significant Figures
3.8000 x 10 3
Four Significant Figures
0.38 x 10 4
Two Significant Figures
0.038 x 10 4
Two Significant Figures

• Thus, we can write 531.598 as 5.31598 ×102 in scientific notation. Note that while writing it,
the decimal had to be moved to the left by two places and same is the exponent (2) of 10 in
the scientific notation.
• Similarly, 0.00091 can be written as 9.1 × 10–4. Here the decimal has to be moved four places
to the right and ( – 4) is the exponent in the scientific notation.

Calculation with Significant Figures:

Carrying out calculations with these numbers, the rule used is that the accuracy of the
final result is limited to the least accurate measurement
Rounding Off
The rules employed for rounding off a number to the required number of significant digit are as
follows

• If the digit to be removed is more than 5, the digit to be retained is increased by one. for
example, 2.486 If we have to remove 6, we have to round it to 2.49

• If the digit to be removed is less than 5, the digit to be retained i.e. preceding number is not
changed. For example, 5.334 if 4 is to be removed, then the result is rounded upto 5.33.

• If the rightmost digit to be removed is 5, then the preceding number is not changed if it is an
even number but it is increased by one if it is an odd number. For example, if 7.35 is to be
rounded by removing 5, we have to increase 3 to 4 giving 7.4 as the result. However, if 7.25
is to be rounded off it is rounded off to 7.2.
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FUNDAMENTALS OF MATHEMATICS
Addition and Subtraction:
In addition and subtraction, the final result should be reported to the same number of
decimal places as the number with the minimum number of decimal places.

37.768 is rounded off in such a way that there is only one digit after the decimal.
For removing 6, 1 is added to 7 as 6 is greater than 5.

Example:
2.435 + 1.23 = 3.665
But the result would be reported only upto 2 decimal places so the answer would be 2.66.
Example :
44.341- 1.4432 = 42.8978.
But the result would be reported only upto 3 decimal places so the answer would be 42.898.

Multiplication and Division:

In multiplication and division, the final result should be reported as having the same number of
significant digits as the number with least number of significant digits.

Example:
3.9898 x 0.23 = 0.917654
But the result would be reported in the form with two significant figures so the answer would be
0.92.

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FUNDAMENTALS OF MATHEMATICS
EVALUATION

Name: _____________________________________ Score: __________ Rating: ________

Course Yr. & Sec. ____________________________ Date Submitted: __________________

Reflective Learning No.4 SCIENTIFIC NOTATION AND SIGNIFICANT FIGURES

Direction. In column A, write three (3) different large numbers and two (2) different very small
numbers. Convert each of them to Scientific Notation and write your answer in column B. (5 points)

COLUMN A COLUMN B
STANDARD FORM SCIENTIFIC NOTATION
1. (LN)

2. (LN)

3. (LN)

4. (SN)

5. (SN)

*LN-Large Number SN- Small Number

Activity Exercise No. .4 SCIENTIFIC NOTATION AND SIGNIFICANT FIGURES

GO TO THE LINK: https://tinyurl.com/AEMODULEFOUR

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