Algebra 1, 11 January 2010

Overview: 5 min (Note: “x” means multiply)

Law 1: am x an = a(m + n): “To multiply two power of the same base, simply add
their exponents and use this sum as the exponent of the common base.”
Law 2: am / an = a(m – n): “To divide two powers with the same base, simply
subtract the exponent of the bottom (denominator) from the exponent of the
top (numerator) and use this difference as the exponent on the common base.”
Law 3: (am)n = a (m * n): “To get the total power inside and outside the
parenthesis, simply multiply the exponents and use this product as the
exponent of the common base.”
Law 4: (a x b)m = (am) x (bm): “For two different bases multiplied together, use
the Distributive Property to share the exponent.”
Law 5: (a / b)m = (am) / (bm): “For two different bases in a fraction, use the
Distributive Property to share the exponent.”
Law 6: a0 = 1, a ≠ 0: “Read: a to the zero power equals 1.” Using Law 2: am / an =
a(m – n), and let m = n → am / am = 1 = a(m – m) = a0 = 1
Law 7: a-n = 1/an: “Read: any base to a negative or minus exponent power is
shorthand for you to move that base to the bottom (denominator), then
perform the operation on the base.”
 Algebra 1, 11 January 2010
I. Scientific Notation: 10 min
II. Relating to Laws of Exponents: 10 min
III. Table of values: 10 min
IV. Summary/Questions: 10 min
V. Questions, ready for bell: 5 min
VI. Bell
 Scientific Notation
• Scientific notation, also known as standard
form or as exponential notation, is a way of
writing numbers that accommodates values
too large or small to be conveniently written
in standard decimal notation. Scientific
notation has a number of useful properties
and is often favored by scientists,
mathematicians and engineers, who work
with such numbers1.
 Scientific Notation, (cont’d)
• Outstanding Public Debt (Jan 5, 2010):
$12,328,184,670,571.23 (Twelve trillion,
three-hundred twenty-eight billion, one-
hundred eighty-four million, six-hundred and
seventy thousand, five-hundred seventy-one
dollars and twenty-three cents)
• One Angstrom: 0.0000000001 meters
• Light year: 9,460,730,472,580.8 kilometers
• Earth population: 6,794,400,000 people
 Scientific Notation, (cont’d)
• In scientific notation all numbers are written
like this:
– a × 10b ("a times ten to the power of b"),
• a = any real number
• b = integer (in other words, not a fraction)
• 10 = base 10 value and you can use the law of
exponents to solve problems.
• What we’d like to do now is reduce the
previous larger numbers using scientific
notation.
 Scientific Notation, (cont’d)
• Outstanding Public Debt (Jan 5, 2010):
$12,328,184,670,571.23 = $1.23 x 1013
• One Angstrom: 0.0000000001 meters = 1 x 10-10
meters
• Light year: 9,460,730,472,580.8 kilometers = 9.46 x
1012 kilometers
• Earth population: 6,794,400,000 people = 6.79 x 109
people
 Scientific Notation (cont’d)
• Outstanding Public Debt (Jan 5, 2010):
$12,328,184,670,571.23 = $1.23 x 1013
– Start with $12,328,184,670,571.23
– Multiply $12,328,184,670,571.23 x 100
– Move the decimal between the “1” and “2”
behind the first digit and count the number of
times you do it (should be 13)
– Indicate the number of times you move the
decimal in the final form: $1.23 x 1013
 Scientific Notation (cont’d)
• One Angstrom: 0.0000000001 meters = 1 x 10-
10 meters

– Start with 0.0000000001 meters

– Multiply 0.0000000001 meters x 100
– Move the decimal between the first “0” and
second “0” until it is behind the number 1
– Indicate the number of times you move the
decimal to the right in the final form: 1 x 10-10
meters (the handout has the exponent incorrect)
 Scientific Notation (cont’d)
• $12,328,184,670,571.23 = $1.23 x 1013 is a large number.
• When converting a large number to scientific notation, the
exponent indicates how many times you moved the
decimal to the left.
• Remember: a × 10b ("a times ten to the power of b"):
you’re trying to fit this form (a = any real number)
• 1.23 is a shorthand for 1.232818467057123
• 1013 is a shorthand for 10,000,000,000,000, or 10 trillion
• This allows you to convert back to the larger number if such
details are needed.
 Scientific Notation, (cont’d)
• One Angstrom: 0.0000000001 meters = 1 x 10-10 meters is a
small number
• When converting a small number to scientific notation, the
exponent indicates how many times you move the decimal
to the right.
• Remember: a × 10b ("a times ten to the power of b"):
you’re trying to fit this form (a = any real number)
• 10-10 is shorthand for 0.0000000001
• This allows you to convert back to the smaller number if
such details are needed.
 Scientific Notation (cont’d)
10-10 = 0.0000000001 100 = 1
10-9 = 0.000000001 101 = 10
10-8 = 0.00000001 102 = 100
10-7 = 0.0000001 103 = 1000
10-6 = 0.000001 104 = 10,000
10-5 = 0.00001 105 = 100,000
10-4 = 0.0001 106 = 1,000,000
10-3 = 0.001 107 = 10,000,000
10-2 = 0.01 108 = 100,000,000
10-1 = 0.1 109 = 1,000,000,000
100 = 1 1010 = 10,000,000,000
 Scientific Notation (cont’d)
• Summary:
– When converting a large number to scientific notation, the
exponent indicates how many times you moved the decimal to the
left.
– When converting a small number to scientific notation, the
exponent indicates how many times you move the decimal to the
right.
– Remember: a × 10b ("a times ten to the power of b"): you’re trying
to fit this form (a = any real number)
– Use Laws of Exponents, specifically Law 1: am x an = a(m + n): “To
multiply two power of the same base, simply add their exponents
and use this sum as the exponent of the common base.” Here,
your common base is 10
 Scientific Notation (cont’d)
• Number 1: 0.000000786
– Step 1: 0.000000786 x 100
– Step 2: Move the decimal between the first “0” and second “0”
until it is behind the number 7 and before the number 8.
– Step 3: Indicate the number of times you move the decimal in the
final form of the exponent: 7.86 x 10-7
– Note: the exponent is negative because you moved it 7 places to
the right. x 100
• Number 19: (6 x 106)(4 x 10-1)
– Step 1: (a x 10b)(c x 10d) = (a x c) x 10b+d (using Law 1)
– Step 2: (6 x 4) x 10[6+(-1)] = 24 x 106-1 = 24 x 105 (remember: a × 10b)
– Step 3: 24 x 105 = 2.4 x 101 x 105 = 2.4 x 101+5 = 2.4 x 106
 Web Resources
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_notati
on: Wikipedia entry on Scientific Notation
• http://www.fordhamprep.org/gcurran/sho/sh
o/lessons/lesson25.htm: Science Help Online
Chemistry, calculating with scientific notation
• http://mathphysicsgroove.edublogs.org/: Mr.
Goodwin’s blog