All mind maps topics

1.1 Scientific notationIB Maths: Applications and Interpretation SL: Mind map

Standard form
Multiply and divide
Add and subtract

Scientific notation

$a\times10^{k}$

1≤a<101\le a<10kk integer
Units
Using the GDC
Exam tips

Exam questions on 1.1 Scientific notation

  1. The mass of the Earth is 5.97×10245.97\times10^{24} kg and the mass of the Moon is 7.35×10227.35\times10^{22} kg.
    Write down the mass of the Earth in grams, in the form a×10ka\times10^{k} where 1≤a<101\le a<10.2 marks
  2. A red blood cell has a diameter of 7.5×10−67.5\times10^{-6} m. An adult body contains approximately 2.4×10132.4\times10^{13} red blood cells.
    Find the number of red blood cells needed to make a line of length 1 m. Give your answer in the form a×10ka\times10^{k} where 1≤a<101\le a<10, correct to 3 significant figures.2 marks
  3. Light travels at 3.00×1083.00\times10^{8} m s−1^{-1}. The star Proxima Centauri is approximately 4.0×10164.0\times10^{16} m from the Sun.
    Find the time, in days, that light takes to travel from Proxima Centauri to the Sun. Give your answer in the form a×10ka\times10^{k}, where 1≤a<101\le a<10, correct to 3 significant figures. (There are 8.64×1048.64\times10^{4} seconds in one day.)3 marks
See the full worksheet

Written by the Exaim team, led by Shaun Daswani (Head of Upper Secondary, Improve ME Institute; MSc Financial Mathematics, Imperial College London; BSc, UCL) and Jason Daswani (operational lead, Improve ME Institute; LSE).