What is 1.5 E 11 meters? Please help, my teachers did not do a good job on explaining what this format means or how to figure it.

Question

_frdraw_ · Answer

Is it just standing for scientific notation? I haven't had to do that in forever, easy but I need to make sure >~<

osprey · Answer

yes, it is standing for scientific notation. 1.5 times 10 to the power 11 metres. Saves you writing out an awful lot of zeroes. Speed of light is 300, 000,, 000 metres/second or 3x10^8. The ^ means that the 8 is the power to which the 10 is raised.

_frdraw_ · Answer

Thank you!

osprey · Answer

That's ok. science is riddled with squiggles and notation. bit like eating a plate of rice and spaghetti grain by grain and strand by stand.
Good luck and good journey.