Chapter 9

1.1

STANDARD FORM

Significant Figures
Important concepts
Round off the following numbers correct to the number of significant figures indicated within
the brackets.
64 349

6 4 3 4 9

(3)

707.2

0.064 34

0. 0 6 4 3 4

7 0 7. 2

4<5 digit to be rounded 3, is

unchanged. Before the
decimal point each digit is
replaced by 0

64 300 ( 3 significant figures )

(3)

(2)

7>5 , 1 is added to the digit to

be rounded 0, 0+1=1 .After
decimal point, digit 2 is
dropped.

710 ( 2 significant figures )

7.072

(2)

7.0 7 2

4<5 digit to be rounded 3, is

unchanged. After the decimal
point digit 4 is dropped.

0.0643 ( 3 significant figures )

7>5 , 1 is added to the digit 0,

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

7.1 ( 2 significant figures )

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.
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

Standard Form

80

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
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
2.2 10 4 7.4 10 3
0.22 10 4 1 7.4 10 3
0.22 10 3 7.4 10 3

b)
a)

4.5 10 8.1 10
0.45 10 31 8.1 10 4
0.45 10 4 8.1 10 4
(0.45 8.1) 10

8.55 10

1.22

(0.22 7.4) 10 3

7.62 10 3

Multiplication and Division

a) ( A 10 m ) ( B 10 n )
( A B ) 10 m n

b)

EXAMINATION FORMAT QUESTIONS

Standard Form

81

( A 10 m ) ( B 10 n )
A
10 m n
B

9. Express 0.000072 in standard form.

1. Round off 6 284 correct to 2
significant figures.
A 6 200
B 6 280

C 6 290
D 6 300

2. Round off 10726 correct to 2

significant figures.
A 1100
B 10000

C 10700
D 10

3. Round off 2.673 correct to 3

significant figures.
A 2.6
B 2.67

C 2.7
D 2.70

A 7.2 10 1
B 7.2 10 2

C 0.003512
D 0.0003521

5. Round off 0.0368 correct to two significant

7.2 10 5

10. Express 558000 in standard form.

A 5.58 10 3
B 5.58 10 4

5.58 10 5

5.58 10 6

11. 2.6 10 5 66000

A 3.26 10 5
B 3.26 10 9
12.

C 6.86 10 5
D 6.86 10 9

4.8 1012 2.7 1013

A 3.18 1012
B 3.18 1013

4. Round off 0.00035118 correct to 3

significant figures.
A 0.000351
B 0.0003511

7.2 10 4

C 7.5 1012
D 7.5 1013

13. 6.35 10 5 3.2 10 6

A 3.12 10 5
B 3.12 10 6

C 6.03 10 5
D 6.03 10 6

figures.
A. 0.03

C 0.04

B. 0.036

D. 0.037

A 1.7 10 5
B 1.7 10 6

6. 3.84 10 4
A 0.0000384
B 0.000384

15

C 10200
D 102000

16. 5.4 1012 4 10 10

4.9 5 10 6

A 2.45 10 7
B 2.45 10 8

A 2.16 101
B 2.16 10 2

8. 3.84 10 4
A 0.0000384
B 0.000384

C 3840
D 384000

17.

82

C 2.45 10 9
D 2.45 1010

C 2.16 10 3
D 2.16 10 4

0.098

7 10 4
A 1.4 10 6

Standard Form

C 8.63 10 5
D 8.63 10 6

C 3840
D 384000

7. 1.02 10 5
A 102
B 1020

14. 9.4 10 6 7700000

C 1.4 10 2

B 1.4 10 2

He wants to divide his land equally

D 1.4 10 6
among

his 8 children. Calculate the land area, in

3.04 1014

0.004

18.

acres, that each of En Hassans children

A 7.60 1013
B 7.60 1014
7840

7 10

19.

2 2

gets.

C 7.60 1015
D 7.60 1016

A 1.3 10 4
B 1.3 10 5
24.

A 1.12 10 5
B 1.12 10 6

C 8.1 10 5
D 8.1 10 6

The speed of light is given as

3 10 8 ms 1 .
Calculate the time, in seconds, light takes
to travel 3 1010 m.

C 1.6 10 5
D 1.6 10 6

C 8.3 10 3
D 8.3 10 3

A 1.2 10 2
B 1.2 10 2

2000

20.
16 4 10 3
A 5.00 10 1
B 5.00 101

C 3.13 10 4
D 3.13 10 4

SPM Past year questions

SPM 2003 (November)

21. RM 1.36 millions is to be shared by four

people. Express the answer in standard

form.

Round off 0.0368 correct to two

significant figures.

A. 3.4 x 10

-5

B. 3.4 x 10

C. 340 x 10
D. 3.40 x 10

A. 0.003

C. 0.036

B. 0.04

D. 0.037

22.
P

3.0 10 2
Q

4 10 cm

C 0.12 10 4
D 1.2 10 5

En Hassan has 1.01 10 5 acres of

B. 0.000627

D. 6 270 000

C 1.06 10 5
D 1.06 10 9

4. The area of a rectangular nursery plot is

7.2 km 2 . Its width is 2400 m. The
length, in m, of the nursery plot is

land.

Standard Form

C. 62 700

A 2.68 10 5
B 2.68 10 9

In the Diagram 1, PQRS is a rectangle.

The area, in cm 2 , of the rectangle is

23.

A. 0.0000627

3. 1.8 10 5 88000

Diagram 1

A 1.2 10 6
B 12 10 6

6.27 10 4

83

A 3 10 3

B 3 10 4

D 4.8 10 4

4.8 10 3

SPM 2004 (JULY)

A. 0.08

C. 0.0810

B. 0.081

D. 0.0811

SPM 2005 (JULY)

1

Round off 10 875 correct to three

significant figures.
A 10 800
C 10 870
B 10 880
D 10 900

Round off 0.002496 correct to three

significant figures.

State 7. 06 10 5 as a single number.

A 70 600
C 7 060 000
B 706 000
D 70 600 000

10 5
7.8

The length of a reel of red thread is 1.3

10 6 mm and the length of a reel of blue
thread is 65000 cm. Calculate the total
length, in cm, of one reel of red thread and
four reels of blue thread.
A 1.56 10 5
C 3.9
5
B 2.73 10
D
5
10

0.0002
=
4 10 3

A 5
B 5

10 8
10 2

C 5
D 5

10 7
10 1

203 10 7

B 2.03 10 6

20.3 10 8

4.86 10 2

3 10

3 2

B 1.62 10 4
3

10 6
D 2.2 10 7
C 2.2

10 4 - 6.7 10 3 =
A 2.53 10 3
C 2.53 10 4
B 3.50 10 3
D 3.50 10 4

3.2

In July, the mean number of shirts produced

by factories J, K and L was 14 000. Factory
K produced 9 600 shirts. Factory J produced
three times as many as factory L. How
many shirts did factory J produce in July?

10 4
B 3.24 10 4
A 2.43

5.4 103

D 5.4 10 4

C 3.95 10 8
D 3.95 10 7

Round off 0.08108 correct to three

significant figures.

Standard Form

D 0.00250

10 6
B 22 10 7

4.21 10 7 2.6 10 8

A 1.61 10 8
B 1.61 10 7
4

B 0.03

A 22

A 1.62 10 3

C 00.00249

Express 22 million in standard form.

SPM 2004 ( NOVEMBER)

1 Express 0.0000203 in standard form
A 2.03 10 5

A 0.02

84

10 4
D 4.4 10 4
C 4.2

SPM 2005 (NOVEMBER)

1

Round off 70615 correct to three

significant figures.
A. 70 600

C. 70 610

B. 70 620

D. 70 700

2 Express 7.564 10 6 as single number.

A. 0.007564

C. 0.000007564

B. 0.00007564 D. 0.0000007564

0.03

5 000 000

A 6 10 3
B 6 10 4

Standard Form

6 10 8

D 6 10 9

85