IB DP Maths: AI HL复习笔记1.1.1 Standard Form

Standard form (sometimes called scientific notation or standard index form) gives us a way of writing very big and very small numbers using powers of 10.

Why use standard form?

• Some numbers are too big or too small to write easily or for your calculator to display at all
  • Imagine the number 50⁵⁰ , the answer would take 84 digits to write out
  • Try typing 50⁵⁰ into your calculator, you will see it displayed in standard form
• Writing very big or very small numbers in standard form allows us to:
  • Write them more neatly
  • Compare them more easily
  • Carry out calculations more easily
• Exam questions could ask for your answer to be written in standard form

How is standard form written?

• How are calculations carried out with standard form? 

• Your GDC will display large and small numbers in standard form when it is in normal mode
  • Your GDC may display standard form as aEn