Chapter 9 STANDARD FORM

1.1 Significant Figures

Important concepts

Round off the following numbers correct to the number of significant figures indicated within
the brackets.

64 349 (3) 707.2 (2)

6 4 3 4 9 4<5 digit to be rounded 3, is 7 0 7. 2 7>5 , 1 is added to the digit to

unchanged. Before the be rounded 0, 0+1=1 .After
decimal point each digit is decimal point, digit 2 is
replaced by 0 dropped.

64 300 ( 3 significant figures ) 710 ( 2 significant figures )

0.064 34 (3) 7.072 (2)

0. 0 6 4 3 4 4<5 digit to be rounded 3, is 7.0 7 2 7>5 , 1 is added to the digit 0,

unchanged. After the decimal 0+1=1 After the decimal
point digit 4 is dropped. point, digits 7 and 2 are
dropped.

0.0643 ( 3 significant figures ) 7.1 ( 2 significant figures )

Example Vs Exercise

Round off the following numbers correct to the given significant figures.

Standard Form 135

 Number 1 significant figure 2 significant figures 3 significant figures
1 64349 60000 64000 64300
2 80492
3 6739 7000 6700 6740
4 3065
5 708.3 700 710 708
6 506.6
7 96.70 100 97 96.7
8 20.63
9 5.866 6 6.0 5.87

10 3.465
11 0.4979 0.5 0.50 0.498
12 0.2997
13 0.04567 0.05 0.046 0.0457
14 0.03296
15 0.002902 0.003 0.0029 0.00290
16 0.0007998
17 0.00005823 0.00006 0.000058 0.0000582
18 0.00006435
19 0.00008395 0.00008 0.000084 0.0000900
20 0.00004097
1.2 Standard Form

1.2 a. Expressing Numbers in Standard Form

Important Concept

In standard form a number is written as

A  10 n
where 1  A  10 and n is an integer
example: 2.938  10 3 , 1.688  10 2

3 Steps to express a positive number in standard form:

STEP 1 : Form the number A, where 1  A < 10.. Place a decimal number point after the first non-zero
digit
STEP 2 : Obtain the value of the index n by counting the number of decimal places from the new
position to its original position.

Standard Form 136

  if the decimal point is moved to the left, n is a positive integer.
 if the decimal point is moved to the right, n is a negative integer.
STEP 3 : Write the number in the form A  10 n

Example
1. 1 6 8 8 = 1. 6 8 8  10 3
Step 1 : Form the number, A.
Move the decimal point 3 steps to the left. Hence, A = 1.688
Step 2 : Obtain the value of n. The decimal point is moved 3 steps to the left, hence n is positive and
n = 3.
Step 3 : Write the number in the form A  10 n , hence 1.688  10 3

2. 0.0 0 0 0 5 4 6 = 5.46  10 5
Step 1 : Form the number, A.
Move the decimal point 5 steps to the right. Hence, A = 5.46
Step 2 : Obtain the value of n. The decimal point is moved 5 steps to the right, hence n is negative and
n = 5.
Step 3 : Write the number in the form A  10 n , hence 5.46  10 5

EXERCISE:
Express each of the following in standard form

a) 29320 a) 30 657 = b) 19 42  1.942  10 3 b) 3458 =

 2.932  10 4

c) 789  7.89  10 2 c) 210 = d) 32.9  3.29  101 d) 76.1=

e) 5.32  5.32  10 0 e) 6.78  f) 0.672  6.72  10 1 c) 0.578 

g) g) 0.0996  h) h) 0.00893 
2 3
0.0143  1.43  10 0.00665  6.66  10

i) i) 0.000321  j) j) 0.0000992 
0.00078  7.8  10 4 0.000085  8.5  10 5

Convert each of the following to a single number.

a) 6.851  10 4  68510 a) 5.874  10 4  b) 3.221  10 3  3221 b) 1.902  10 3 

c) 7.685  10 2  768.5 c) 1.061  10 2  d) 8.853  101  88.53 d) 4.801  101 

e) 6.001  10 0  6.001 e) 7.068  10 0  f) f) 2.218  10 1 

Standard Form 137

 5.861  10 1  0.5861

g) g) 9.655  10 2  h) h) 6.319  10 3 
2 3
6.008  10  0.06008 2.45  10  0.00245

i) i) 5.63  10 4  j) j) 9.42  10 5
4
3.76  10  0.000376 6.73  10 5
 0.0000673

1.2b Operations involving Standard Form

1.21 Addition and Subtraction

The smaller index is adjusted to equal the bigger index before

addition or subtraction is performed.

Example Vs Exercise

Evaluate each of the following, giving answer in standard form

a) 4.5  10 3  8.1  10 4 a) 2.3  10 3  7.1  10 4

 0.45  10 31  8.1  10 4
 0.45  10 4  8.1  10 4
 (0.45  8.1)  10 4
 8.55  10 4

b) 2.2  10 4  7.4  10 3 b) 7.2  10 4  3.7  10 3

 0.22  10 4 1  7.4  10 3
 0.22  10 3  7.4  10 3
 (0.22  7.4)  10 3
 7.62  10 3

c) 7.5  10 3  8.1  10 2 c) 9.5  10 3  7.3  10 2

 7.5  10 3  0.81  10 2 1
 (7.5  0.81)  10 3

Standard Form 138

  6.691  10 3

d) 9.4  10 3  7.3  10 4 d) 7.2  10 3  9.2  10 4

 9.4  10 3  0.73  10 41
 9.4  10 3  0.73  10 3
 (9.4  0.73)  10 3
 8.67  10 3

1.22 Multiplication and Division

a) ( A  10 m )  ( B  10 n )
( A  B )  10 m  n b) ( A  10 m )  ( B  10 n )
A
10 m  n
B

Example Vs Exercise

Evaluate each of the following , giving your answer in standard form

a) 4  10 6  3.6  10 2 a) 5  10 6  4.3  10 2
6 2
 ( 4  3.6)  10
 14.4  10 8
 1.44  10 9

b) 5.7  10 4  2  10 2 b) 3.5  10 4  4  10 2
4  2
 (5.7  2)  10
 11 .4  10 2
 1.14  10 1

c) 6.2  10 2  3  10 4 c) 7.1  10 2  4  10 4
 (6.2  3)  10 2  4
 18.6  10 6
 1.86  10 5

Standard Form 139

 8.7  10 5 1.2  10 8
d) d)
2  10 2 2  10 5
8 .7
  10 5 2
2
 4.35  10 3

7.2  10 2 8.7  10 7
e) e)
4  10 5 3  10 5
7.2
  10  25
4
 1.8  10 3

6.3  10 6 5.6  10 6
f) f)
9  10 5 8  10 5
6 .3
  10  6  5
9
 0.7  10 1
 7  10 2

3  10 6 6  10 3
g) g)
600 5000
3  10 6

6  10 2
3
  10  6  2
6
 0.5  10 8
 5  10 9

Standard Form 140

EXAMINATION FORMAT QUESTIONS

Standard Form 141

 A 0.0000384 12. B 1.4  10 2
3840 12
113.4  10 6
1. Round off 6 284 B 0.000384 4.8  10  2.7  10 
correct to 2 D 384000
significant figures. A 3.18  1012
3.04  1014
7.5  1012 18. 
A 6 200 B 3.18  1013 0.004
7. 1.02  10 5 
C 6 290 7.5  1013
B 6 280 A 102 A 7.60  1013
D 6 300 10200 C 7.60  1015
B 1020 13. B 7.60  1014
D 102000 6.35  10 5  3.2  10 6  1016
7.60 
2. Round off 10726
correct to 2
A 3.12  10 5 7840
significant figures. 
8. 3.84  10 4  6.03  10 5
19.
 7  10 
2 2

A 1100 B 3.12  10 6
C 10700 A 0.0000384 D A 1.12  10 5
B 10000 3840 6.03  10 6
C 1.6  10 5
D 10 B 0.000384
B 1.12  10 6
D 384000
3. Round off 2.673 1.6  10 6
14.
correct to 3
significant figures. 9.4  10 6  7700000  2000
9. Express 0.000072 in
20. 
standard form. A 1.7  10 5 16  4  10 3
A 2.6
C 2.7 A 7.2  10 1 8.63  10 5
A 5.00  10 1
B 2.67 4 B 1.7  10 6
7.2  10 C 3.13  10 4
D 2.70 D 8.63  10 6
B 7.2  10 2 B 5.00  101
4. Round off D 3.13  10 4
5 15 4.9  5  10 6 
0.00035118 correct to 3 7.2  10
significant figures. A 2.45  10 7 21. RM 1.36 millions is
9
2.45  10 to be shared by four
A 0.000351 10. Express 558000 in
C 0.003512 B 2.45  10 8
standard form. people. Express the
B 0.0003511 D
D 0.0003521 2.45  1010 answer in standard
A 5.58  10 3
5.58  10 5 form.
B 5.58  10 4 16. A. 3.4 x 10-5
5. Round off 0.0368
D 5.4  1012  4  10 10  C. 340 x 10
correct to two 5.58  10 6
significant B. 3.4 x 104
A 2.16  101
figures. C 2.16  10 3 D. 3.40 x 105
11.
B 2.16  10 2
A. 0.03 2.6  10 5  66000 
2.16  10 4
C 0.04 22.
A 3.26  10 5
B. 0.036 0.098
6.86  10 5 17.  P S
D. 0.037 B 3.26  10 9 7  10 4
D 6.86  10 9 3.0  10 2
A 1.4  10 6
6. 3.84  10 4  C 1.4  10 2 Q R

Standard Form 141

 B 4. The area of a D 7.8
3
4  10 cm 1.2  10 2
D rectangular  10 5

8.3  10 3 nursery plot is

Diagram 1 7.2 km 2 . Its 0.0002
width is 2400 m. The 4 4  10 3
=
length, in m, of
In the Diagram A 5  10 8
1, PQRS is a rectangle. the nursery plot is
SPM Past year C 5  10 7
The area, in
A 3  10 3 B 5  10 2
cm , of the rectangle
2
questions
is D 5  10 1
SPM 2003 C 4.8  10 3
A 1.2  10 6 B 3  10 4 SPM 2004
(November)
( NOVEMBER)
C 0.12  10 4 4.8  10 4
B 12  10 6 SPM 2004 (JULY)
D 1.2  10 5 1 Round off 1 Express
23. En Hassan has 1 Round off 10 0.0000203 in standard
0.0368 correct
875 correct to three form
1.01  10 5 acres of to two significant
figures. A 2.03  10 5
land. significant
A 10 800
He wants to figures. C 10 870 C
B 10 880
divide his land equally A. 0.003 203  10 7
D 10 900
among C. 0.036 B 2.03  10 6
2 State 7. 06  10
his 8 children. B. 0.04 5
C
as a single
20.3  10 8
Calculate the land area, D. 0.037 number.
in A 70 600
C 7 060 000
acres, that each 4.86  10 2
2 B 706 000 2 
of En Hassan’s children D 70 600 000 3  10 3 2

6.27  10 4 
gets.
A. 0.0000627 A 1.62  10 3
A 1.3  10 4
C. 62 700 3 The length of a C 5.4  103
C 8.1  10 5 reel of red thread
B. 0.000627
B 1.3  10 5 is 1.3  10 6 B 1.62  10 4
D 8.1  10 6 D. 6 270 000 mm and the 5.4  10
4

length of a reel of
24. The speed of blue thread is 3
light is given as 3. 65000 cm. 4.21  10 7  2.6  10 8 
1
3  10 ms .
8
Calculate the
Calculate the 1.8  10 5  88000  total length, in A 1.61  10 8
time, in cm, of one reel 3of.95  10 8
A 2.68  10 5 red thread and
seconds, light 5 B 1.61  10 7
takes to travel 1.06  10 four reels of blue
B 2.68  10 9 thread. 3.95  10 7
3  1010 m.
1.06  10 9 A 1.56  10 5
A 1.2  10 2 C 3.9
C 8.3  10 3  10 5 4 Round off
B 2.73  10 5 0.08108 correct to three

Standard Form 142

 significant produced three 2 Express
figures.
times as many as 7.564  10 6 as
A. 0.08 SPM 2005 (JULY) factory L. How single number.
C. 0.0810 many shirts did A. 0.007564
B. 0.081 1 Round off factory J produce C. 0.000007564
0.002496 correct to
D. 0.0811 in July? B. 0.00007564
three
significant A 2.43  10 4 D. 0.0000007564
figures.
C 4.2  10 4
A 0.02
B 3.24  10 4 0.03
C 00.00249 3 
D 4.4  10 4 5 000 000
B 0.03
A 6  10 3
D 0.00250
C 6  10 8
B 6  10 4
2 Express 22
6  10 9
million in standard
form.
A 22  10 6
C 2.2  10 6
B 22  10 7

D 2.2  10 7

3 3.2  10 4 -

6.7  10 3 =
A 2.53  10 3
C 2.53  10 4
SPM 2005
B 3.50  10 3 (NOVEMBER)
D 3.50  10 4
4 In July, the mean 1 Round off 70615
correct to three
number of shirts
significant
produced by figures.
factories J, K and
A. 70 600
L was 14 000.
C. 70 610
Factory K
B. 70 620
produced 9 600
D. 70 700
shirts. Factory J

Standard Form 143