How do you express 0.05 in scientific notation?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking how to express the number 0.05 in scientific notation, which involves converting the number into a format that represents it as a coefficient multiplied by a power of ten.
Answer
$5 \times 10^{-2}$
Answer for screen readers
The scientific notation for 0.05 is $5 \times 10^{-2}$.
Steps to Solve
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Identify the coefficient To convert 0.05 to scientific notation, we first need to express it as a number between 1 and 10. The coefficient for our number is 5, which we find by moving the decimal point one place to the right.
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Determine the power of ten After identifying the coefficient, count how many places we moved the decimal point. Since we moved it one place to the right, the exponent of 10 will be -1. This negative exponent indicates that the original number is less than 1.
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Combine the coefficient and power of ten Now we can write 0.05 in scientific notation by combining the coefficient and the power of ten we found in the previous steps:
$$ 0.05 = 5 \times 10^{-2} $$
The scientific notation for 0.05 is $5 \times 10^{-2}$.
More Information
Expressing numbers in scientific notation is useful in science and math when dealing with very large or very small values. It allows for easier computation and comparison of numbers.
Tips
- A common mistake is to incorrectly place the decimal point when determining the coefficient.
- Ensure to remember that moving the decimal point to the right gives a negative exponent.
