After getting the initial result from multiplying coefficients and adding exponents, the final step is to ensure the number is in the proper scientific notation format.
Scientific notation requires a coefficient that is between 1 and 10. Thus, if the initial multiplication gives a coefficient like 72.0, it will need adjustment.
Here’s how it’s done:
- Identify the coefficient from your previous multiplication (e.g., 72.0 in this example).
- If this coefficient is not between 1 and 10, adjust by moving the decimal point. For 72.0, move the decimal one place left to get 7.2.
- To balance the change, increase the exponent by one: from \( 10^{-7} \) to \( 10^{-6} \).
- So, \( 72.0 \times 10^{-7} \) becomes \( 7.2 \times 10^{-6} \), which is now correctly formatted.
This method ensures that the final expression is both mathematically correct and in the standard scientific notation form, ready for easy interpretation and comparison.