16 March 2023

The Significance of Standard Form in Numerical Expressions

Standard form of numbers is used to denote a larger or smaller number in a shorten form. In fields like mathematics, physics, and engineering where large and small numbers are frequently utilized, it is very helpful.

Standard form uses the power of 10 to express numbers, which makes arithmetic and comparisons easier. The purpose of standard form, how to convert a number into standard form, and the significance of standard form in practical applications are all covered in this article.

What is standard form?

Standard form is a means to express numbers that are either too big or too little to be conveniently represented in normal decimal form. It is also known as scientific notation or exponential notation. A number is stated using standard form by multiplying a decimal number between 1 and 10 by a power of 10.

The decimal point must be shifted to the left or right a certain number of times to return to the original value, which is represented by the power of 10.

For instance, the conventional form of the number 5,400,000 is 5.4 x 106. The decimal number in this case is 5.4, and the power of 10 is 6, meaning that to get the original value, the decimal point needs to be shifted 6 places to the right.

The decimal point must be moved 5 places to the left to reach the original value in the case of the number 0.000027, which may be represented in standard form as 2.7 x 10-5. This is because the decimal point is 2.7 and the power of 10 is -5.

Changing a Numerical value to standard from

We must carry out a few straightforward actions in order to transform a number into standard form:

Decimal number identification:

  • The first step is to recognize the decimal number contained within the original number.
  • The decimal number must range from 1 to 10.  Count how many places the decimal point needs to be shifted left or right in order to get the original value to determine the power of 10.
  • The power of 10 is negative if the decimal point is moved to the left.
  • The power of 10 is positive if the decimal point is moved to the right.

Format the number as follows:

Put the decimal number in writing, then the power of 10 and the letter "x" after it. For instance, the conventional form of the number 12,345 is 1.2345 x 104.

Importance of a standard form

  • Several real-world applications, particularly in science and engineering where large and small numbers are frequently employed, make use of standard form.
  • Calculations, comparisons, and measurements involving extremely big or extremely small numbers are made easier by using standard form.
  • Also, it enables scientists and engineers to present their findings in a more condensed and uniform manner, facilitating the understanding and replication of their discoveries by others.

Examples of Standard Form

Example 1:

Convert 345,000,000 to standard form

Solution

Step 1: Put the decimal point after first significant digit.

3.45000000

Step 2: Count the digits after decimal point and write them in the power of 10.

3.45000000 x 108

The decimal number is 3.45000000, and the power of 10 is 8, so to get the original value, the decimal point must be shifted 8 places to the right.

Step 3: Skip the zeros.

3.45 x 108

You can also use online calculators to evaluate the standard form of numbers.


Example 2:

Convert 0.00000034 to standard form

Solution

Step 1: Put the decimal point after first significant digit.

00000003.4

Step 2: Count the number of decimal places to the right of the last non-zero digit. In this case, there are 7 decimal places to the left of the last non-zero digit.

00000003.4 x 10-7

Step 3: Skip the zeros.

3.4 x 10-7

Example 3

Convert this into standard form 12345.67

Solution

Step 1: Put the decimal point after first significant digit.

1.234567

Step 2: Count the number of decimal places to the right of the last non-zero digit. In this case, there are 8 decimal places to the right of the last non-zero digit.

12345.67 x 104

Example 4

Convert this into standard form 0.000000005.

Solution

Step 1: Put the decimal point after first significant digit.

000000000.5

Step 2: Count the number of decimal places to the right of the last non-zero digit. In this case, there are 8 decimal places to the left of the last non-zero digit.

000000000.5 x 10-8

Step 3: Skip the zeros.

5 x 10-8

Summary

In conclusion, the standard form is a helpful technique for standardizing and compactly expressing very big or very small numbers. It is a crucial tool in science, engineering, and mathematics since it makes computations, comparisons, and measurements simpler.

Everyone working in these fields should be able to translate numbers into standard form since it can improve the effectiveness of communicating complex thoughts and findings.