Which of the following expressions is written in scientific notation?
Scientific notation is a way of expressing numbers that are too large or too small to be conveniently written in decimal form. It is commonly used in scientific, engineering, and mathematical disciplines. This article aims to help readers identify which of the given expressions is written in scientific notation.
Scientific notation is typically represented as a number between 1 and 10 multiplied by a power of 10. For instance, the number 5,000 can be written in scientific notation as 5 x 10^3. Similarly, the number 0.000005 can be expressed as 5 x 10^-6. This notation makes it easier to work with and compare very large or very small numbers.
Now, let’s examine the given expressions and determine which one is written in scientific notation:
1. 123456789
2. 1.23456789 x 10^9
3. 0.00000012345
4. 0.123456789 x 10^-6
The first expression, 123456789, is a standard number and not in scientific notation. The second expression, 1.23456789 x 10^9, is in scientific notation since it falls between 1 and 10 and is multiplied by a power of 10. The third expression, 0.00000012345, is not in scientific notation because it does not follow the format of a number between 1 and 10 multiplied by a power of 10. Lastly, the fourth expression, 0.123456789 x 10^-6, is also not in scientific notation since it is less than 1 and does not have the required format.
In conclusion, the expression written in scientific notation among the given options is 1.23456789 x 10^9. This format allows for easier manipulation and comparison of large and small numbers, making it a valuable tool in various scientific and mathematical fields.
