Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Scientific Notation
Scientific notation is a method of expressing numbers that are too large or too small in a compact form. It is written as the product of a number between 1 and 10 and a power of ten. For example, the number 1500 can be expressed as 1.5 x 10^3, where 1.5 is the coefficient and 3 is the exponent indicating the number of places the decimal point has moved.
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Significant Figures
Significant figures are the digits in a number that contribute to its precision. In scientific notation, the significant figures are represented in the coefficient. For instance, in the number 1.5 x 10^3, the '1.5' has two significant figures, which indicates the precision of the measurement being represented.
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Significant Figures (Simplified) Example 2
Exponent Rules
Exponent rules govern how to manipulate numbers expressed in exponential form. When converting numbers to scientific notation, understanding how to apply these rules is essential, especially when multiplying or dividing numbers with the same base. For example, when multiplying two numbers in scientific notation, you add their exponents, which is crucial for accurate calculations.
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