Converting 0.0000456 to Scientific Notation

Algebra 1 · Axiom Academy

EXAMPLE Converting 0.0000456 to Scientific Notation Convert the small decimal 0.0000456 to scientific notation, step by step. Write 0.0000456 in scientific notation , where the coefficient a satisfies . The first non-zero digit is the highlighted 4 . The coefficient will be built starting from there. Nice work — you converted a small decimal to scientific notation by placing the decimal, counting the hops, and fixing the sign of the exponent. Coefficient rule: the coefficient a must satisfy , so the decimal sits right after the first non-zero digit, giving 4.56 . Small numbers, negative exponent: moving the decimal right (for a number less than 1 ) makes the exponent negative. Count the hops: the decimal moved 5 places, so |n| = 5 and the exponent is -5 . Always verify: recovers the original. Scientific notation keeps very small and very large numbers compact and easy to compare across science and engineering.

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