ok so lets just say you want to make 123000.0 into scientific notation alright? You move the decimal after the first number that is not 0 so you would have 1.23 because you generally go 2 numbers after the first. You would take that number (1.23) and insert x10^? after the number and so far we have 1.23 x 10^?. the ? will be however many times you would move the decimal so it would be like 123000.0 x 10^0, 12300.00 x 10^1, 1230.000 x 10^2, 123.0000 x 10^3, 12.30000 x 10^4, 1.230000 x 10^5 and 1.23 x 10^5 would be your answer because generally you only need 2 placed after the decimal. Decimals are pretty much the same except you go the opposite direction when counting. so for example this time we have 0.000123. You would repeat step 1 and move the decimal to the first number that is not 0 so once again you have 1.23 x 10^?. the ? once again is just how many times you moved the decimals but since you moved it right this time it would be negative so 0.000123 x 10^0, 00.00123 x 10^-1, 000.0123 x 10^-2, 0000.123, and 00001.23 x 10^-3 so you would have 1.23 x 10^-3. Hoped i helped
