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Standard form – WJECCalculating standard form with a calculator

Performing calculations with very big or small numbers can be difficult. Such calculations, for example those related to space, can be made easier by converting numbers in and out of standard form.

Part of MathsNumber

Calculating standard form with a calculator

Standard form can be calculated on a scientific calculator with the ‘exponent’ button. The exponent button may be shown as EXP, EE or \(\times 10^x\).

For example, to input \(1.2 \times 10^7\), press:

Press 2, press 'exponent' button then press 7.

This will appear as:

\(1.2^{07}\) or \({1.2~E7}\) or \(1.2 \times 10^{07}\)

Example one

To calculate \((4.56 \times 10^8) \times (3.7 \times 10^{5})\) using a calculator, we need to press the following buttons:

Press 4.56, press 'exponent' button, press 8, press multiply, press 3.7, press 'exponent' button, press 5, press 'equals'.

You will get an answer of \(1.6872 \times 10^{14}\)

Example two

Finding \((3.9 \times 10^{18}) \times (9.1 \times 10^{-5})\) on a calculator:

Press 3.9, press 'exponent' button, press 18, press multiply, press 9.1, press 'exponent' button, press minus, press 5, press 'equals'.

The answer is \(3.549 \times 10^{14}\)

Question

Using a calculator, find \((2.484 \times 10^{7}) \div (4.6 \times 10^{-4})\)