This worksheet introduces scientific notation, teaching students to convert, compare and calculate with very large and very small numbers and time scales. The worksheet is split into warm-up questions, standard questions and then extension questions to test you.
The concepts it covers:
- Scientific notation writes a number as a×10ⁿ, where 1≤a<10 and n is an integer — used for very large or very small numbers.
- A positive exponent means a large number (move the decimal point right); a negative exponent means a small number (move the decimal point left).
- To multiply numbers in scientific notation: multiply the coefficients and add the exponents. To divide: divide the coefficients and subtract the exponents.
- To add or subtract numbers in scientific notation, first convert them to the same exponent, then add/subtract the coefficients.
- Scientific notation is essential for real-world scales too small or large for ordinary decimals — atomic sizes, astronomical distances, nanoseconds, the age of the universe.
What your child will practise:
- Converting a standard (decimal) number to scientific notation, and vice versa.
- Comparing the size of two numbers given in scientific notation.
- Multiplying and divide numbers in scientific notation.
- Adding and subtract numbers in scientific notation by first matching exponents.
- Applying scientific notation to real-world measurement and time-scale problems, including multi-step calculations.
Every section opens with a worked example, and the download includes a full answer key with step-by-step solutions and teaching notes on the mistakes students most commonly make.
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