Standard Form Revision Questions
Ever wondered how scientists write numbers like 0.000000001 without getting lost in zeros? Standard form is your answer! It's a neat mathematical trick that makes huge and tiny numbers manageable.
The format for standard form is simple: a ร 10^b, where 'a' is between 1 and 10, and 'b' is any whole number. This means 50,000 becomes 5 ร 10^4, and 0.0004 becomes 4 ร 10^-4. Much tidier, right?
When you're squaring numbers in standard form, like 5ร104^2, remember that normal indices rules apply. Square both parts separately: 5^2 = 25 and 104^2 = 10^8, giving you 25 ร 10^8. The power rule is your best mate here - when raising a power to another power, multiply the exponents and keep the base the same.
Top Tip: If your answer isn't in proper standard form like25ร108, balance it out! Move the decimal point to get 2.5 ร 10^9 instead.
Sometimes your calculations give messy answers like 15 ร 10^11 or 0.4 ร 10^-4. Don't panic! Simply adjust by moving decimal points and changing the power accordingly. For 15 ร 10^11, divide by 10 to get 1.5, then add 1 to the power: 1.5 ร 10^12.