How to use it
- Write each quantity as a×10ⁿ with 1≤|a|<10.
- Compare exponents first.
- Compare coefficients only when exponents match.
See it in action
3.2×10⁶ is about ten times 3.2×10⁵.
How to verify it
Move the decimal six places to verify 3,200,000.
Think in Orders of Magnitude
Scientific notation helps compare very large or very small quantities by separating scale from detail.