Beginning Algebra Tutorial 29

Beginning Algebra
Answer/Discussion to Practice Problems
Tutorial 29: Negative Exponents and Scientific Notation

WTAMU > Virtual Math Lab > Beginning Algebra > Tutorial 29: Negative Exponents and Scientific Notation

Answer/Discussion to 1a

*When div. like bases you sub. your exp.

*Raise each base to -2
*Mult. your exponents

*Rewrite with a pos. exp. by taking recip. of base

(return to problem 1a)

Answer/Discussion to 1b

*Raise each base to 5
*Mult. your exponents

*Rewrite with a pos. exp. by taking recip. of base

(return to problem 1b)

Answer/Discussion to 2a

.00000146

Step 1: Move the decimal point so that you have a number that is between 1 and 10.

*Decimal is at the beginning of the number

*Move decimal to create a number between 1 and 10

Step 2: Count the number of decimal places moved in Step 1 .

How many decimal places did we end up moving?
We started at the beginning of the number .00000146 and moved it between the 1 and 4. That looks like a move of 6 places.

What direction did it move?
Looks like we moved it to the right.

So, our count is -6.

Step 3: Write as a product of the number (found in Step 1) and 10 raised to the power of the count (found in Step 2).

(return to problem 2a)

Answer/Discussion to 3a

=
71000000000

*Move the decimal 10 to the right

(return to problem 3a)

WTAMU > Virtual Math Lab >Beginning Algebra >Tutorial 29: Negative Exponents and Scientific Notation