How do you write 0.386 in scientific notation?

2 Answers
Jun 9, 2016

In scientific notation 0.386=3.86xx10^(-1)

Explanation:

In scientific notation, we write a number so that it has single digit to the left of decimal sign and is multiplied by an integer power of 10.

Note that moving decimal p digits to right is equivalent to multiplying by 10^p and moving decimal q digits to left is equivalent to dividing by 10^q.

Hence, we should either divide the number by 10^p i.e. multiply by 10^(-p) (if moving decimal to right) or multiply the number by 10^q (if moving decimal to left).

In other words, it is written as axx10^n, where 1<=a<10 and n is an integer.

To write 0,386 in scientific notation, we will have to move the decimal point one point to right, which literally means multiplying by 10.

Hence in scientific notation 0.386=3.86xx10^(-1) (note that as we have moved decimal one point to right we are multiplying by 10^(-1).

Jun 9, 2016

3.86xx10^(-1)

Explanation:

Given:" "0.386

color(blue)("Point 1")
Objective is to have just one none zero digit to the left of the decimal and everything else on the other side.

'........................................................................
color(blue)("Point 2")
If you multiply a value by 1 you do not change its 'intrinsic' value. However, 1 comes in many forms. For example:

" "2/2"; "4/4"; "sqrt(7)/sqrt(7)"; "(-1)/(-1)"; "10/10

So we can multiply by 1 and not change the intrinsic value but we can change the way it looks.
'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
color(blue)("Answering your question")

Multiply by 1 but in the form of 1=10/10 giving:

0.386xx10/10

This is the same as: (0.386xx10)xx1/10

Which is the same as: (3.86)xx1/10" "larr" nearly there!"

Another way of writing xx1/10" is " xx10^(-1)

So 3.86xx1/10" "->" "3.86xx10^(-1)

So 0.386" is the same as "3.86xx10^(-1)