To express the number 0.000028 in scientific notation, follow these steps:
1. Identify the significant figures:
The number 0.000028 has the significant figures "2.8".
2. Determine the position of the decimal point:
In scientific notation, the goal is to rewrite the number such that there is one non-zero digit to the left of the decimal point.
3. Count the places the decimal point needs to move:
Start from the original decimal point in the number 0.000028 and count how many places you need to move it to the right to get a number between 1 and 10.
Moves of the decimal:
- From 0.000028 to 2.8 requires moving the decimal point 5 places to the right.
4. Write in scientific notation:
After moving the decimal point, the number is transformed into 2.8.
5. Include the power of 10:
Since we moved the decimal point 5 places to the right, the power of 10 will be negative to indicate the number is less than 1 (i.e., we're dealing with a small number).
Therefore, 0.000028 written in scientific notation is:
[tex]\[
2.8 \times 10^{-5}
\][/tex]
6. State the power of 10:
The exponent in the scientific notation [tex]\(2.8 \times 10^{-5}\)[/tex] is -5.
Thus, the power of 10 when 0.000028 is written in scientific notation is -5.
