have another question, I jumped to the bottom of my sheet and its about calculations using scientific notation. How would I do this: (0.0005)(0.002) ? Is there a short cute method where I don't have to actually carry out the multiplication and just move the decimal places?

Question

have another question, I jumped to the bottom of my sheet and its about calculations using scientific notation. How would I do this: (0.0005)(0.002) ?  Is there a short cute method where I don't have to actually carry out the multiplication and just move the decimal places?

anonymous · Answer

Yeah. 

you have three 0's after the decimal point and then for 0.002 you have two 0's after the decimal point. which means you will have a total of 5 0's in your answer. and 5x2 = 10, 

so you should get 0.0000010

anonymous · Answer

so basically in multiplication, my total number if zeros would be on the right side of the decimal

anonymous · Answer

gw did you delete what you wrote earlier? because its not here anymore? :S

anonymous · Answer

and also thank you gab for your response. much appreciated :)

gw2011 · Answer

If you use scientific notation, you get:

0.0005 = 5x10^-4 in scientific notation
0.002 = 2x10^-3 in scientific notation

Multiplying you get:
(5x10^-4)(2x10^-3) = 10x10^-7

anonymous · Answer

OHHHH duh. If I use the exponents, meaning scientific notation form, then  in multiplication, I simply add the exponents and get the answer!. woah thanks a lot gw  for clearing things up!!! :) :)

gw2011 · Answer

You're welcome and you're right--you do add the exponents in multiplication.