In Exercises 15–30, write each number in scientific notation. 32,000

Key Concepts

Scientific Notation

Scientific notation is a way 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 32,000 can be expressed as 3.2 x 10^4, where 3.2 is the coefficient and 10^4 indicates that the decimal point in 3.2 is moved four places to the right.

Standard Form

Standard form refers to the conventional way of writing numbers without exponents. In this context, it is the regular representation of numbers like 32,000. Understanding how to convert from standard form to scientific notation is essential, as it involves identifying the significant figures and the appropriate power of ten.

Exponent Rules

Exponent rules are mathematical guidelines that govern the operations involving powers of numbers. When converting to scientific notation, it is important to understand how to manipulate exponents, such as multiplying or dividing powers of ten. For instance, moving the decimal point to the left increases the exponent, while moving it to the right decreases it.