Standard Form

Further Ideas

Students can investigate questions that lead them to consider very large numbers, developing their understanding of the notation as they try to explain their working and express their results. Attempts to solve problems involving very large (or small) numbers lead to an appreciation of the limitations of non-scientific calculators, or the appearance of unfamiliar symbols on scientific calculators. Students can then increase their understanding of standard form by addressing these difficulties. Large distances lend themselves readily to the use of a more succinct notation.

For example, to generate discussion and introduce the topic, invite the class to find out how many Smarties (or cans of Coke, or students, or cubes of sugar...) would have to be stacked on top of each other in order to reach the Moon, or the Sun, or Jupiter... The Moon is 384,400 kilometres away.