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Procedure for Converting from Scientific Notation to Decimal Form
To convert a number written in scientific notation back into standard decimal form, follow a three-step procedure:
- Determine the exponent, , on the factor . Identify the integer power of in the expression .
- Move the decimal point places, adding zeros if needed.
- If the exponent is positive, shift the decimal point places to the right. This produces a number greater than .
- If the exponent is negative, shift the decimal point places to the left. This produces a number between and .
- Check that the result makes sense.
For example, has a positive exponent of , so the decimal point moves places to the right, giving . In contrast, has a negative exponent of , so the decimal point moves places to the left, giving . In both cases, the number of places the decimal moves equals the absolute value of the exponent—only the direction changes.
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