Question

How do you write `173,000` in scientific notation?

Answer 1

`173000=1.73*10^5` or 1.73E+5.

Explanation:

`173000=1.73*10^5`, which is sometimes written as 1.73E+5.

The simplest way to calculate this is to take the decimal point from where it starts - in this case it is invisible, but it is to the right of the last `0`, like this: `173000.`

We want to move it until there is only one digit to the left of it: this is the basis of scientific notation. We jump it `5` spaces to the left to do this.

To make sure we still have the same number, we have to multiply our new number, `1.73` by the number of powers of `10` we have jumped - in this case `5` of them. We write this in the form `10^5`.

Putting it together gives `1.73*10^5`.