What is scientific notation used for?

• A. To calculate percentages
• B. To express very large or small numbers
• C. To convert decimals to fractions
• D. To format strings

Answer: (B)

Scientific notation is a mathematical shorthand that allows for the expression of very large or very small numbers in a more manageable form. It represents numbers as a product of a decimal number (between 1 and 10) and a power of 10. For example, the number 6,500,000 can be expressed as 6.5 × 10^6, making it easier to read, write, and perform calculations with extremely large or small values.

This notation is especially useful in fields such as science and engineering, where such extremes in number values frequently occur. It simplifies calculations that involve very large quantities, such as distances in astronomy, or very small quantities, like measurements in chemistry.

Conversely, options related to calculating percentages, converting decimals to fractions, and formatting strings refer to different mathematical processes and data manipulations that don't utilize the concise representation of numbers that scientific notation provides. These processes have distinct purposes and methods that do not overlap with the function of scientific notation.