How do you convert .0000321 into scientific notation?

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Answer 1 · 2015-07-12T23:42:19

The number in standard scientific notation is #3.21× 10^(-5)#.

In scientific notation, numbers are written in the form #a × 10^b#, where #a# is the "pre-exponential" part and #10^b# is the "exponential part".

Your number in decimal form is #".0000321"#.

To get to "standard" scientific notation, we move the decimal point so there is only one non-zero digit in front of the decimal point.

So, #".0000321"# becomes #"00003.21"#.

The leading zeroes are not significant, so #"00003.21"# becomes #3.21#.

We moved the decimal point five places, so the exponent is #5#.

We moved the decimal point to the right, so the exponent is negative.

The exponential part is therefore #10^(-5)#.

#.0000321 = 3.21 × 10^(-5)#