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Re: [Phys-l] scientific notation

Old guys like me just laugh at whether or not to use E or ^ or some
other key. Slide rules made multiplication a very visual process and
forced one to follow what constitutes a reasonable answer through the
process. Perhaps the "visual" aspect of the slide rule explained why
males were much more comfortable using them than females - (anecdotal
comment based on what I observed going through HS and college). Now that
we have calculators everyone seems to misunderstand the device equally.

Bob at PC

-----Original Message-----
From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
[mailto:phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] On Behalf Of Bill
Nettles
Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 1:47 PM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] scientific notation

10.0 E-2 translates to "ten times ten to the negative two" which is "ten
times one hundredth" or 0.1 ( number which is inexact in a computer,
btw)

1.0 E-1 is "one times ten to the negative one" which is "one times one
tenth" which is NOT one. It is 0.1.

"Pete Lohstreter" <plohstreter@mail.hockaday.org> 2/20/2009 9:06 pm

Forum for Physics Educators <phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu> writes:
Ah, how easily I am deceived by a value in scientific notation that is
not normalized....
10.0 E-2 would normalize to 1.0 E-1 and the conflict would be reduced.
Or would it?

Hummm... Isn't 1.0 x 10 ^-1 just 1? which is not really the same
thing as 10 x 10^-2 - is it? Or do you really mean 10 raised to the -2
power?

I discourage my students from using the 'E' notation on anything. They
have to use it on their calculators, but if they write it down, they
must
use the x 10 ^n notation. It is a struggle at first, they want to
write down exactly what they see on their calculators without really
thinking about it. Making them change to 'normal' scientific notation
at
least makes them look at the number again.



Pete Lohstreter "Happy is he who gets to know
The Hockaday School the reasons for things. "
11600 Welch Rd Virgil (70-19 BCE) Roman poet.
Dallas, TX 75229

214-360-6389

plohstreter@mail.hockaday.org

See what our students are doing......
http://home.hockaday.org/physics/index.html


_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
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_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l