Year 9 - Maths
Ordering numbers in standard form
Standard form
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Year 9 - Maths
Standard form
In this unit pupils learn to recognise, interpret and write in standard form. Pupils then extend this knowledge so that they can order numbers written in standard form.
You will learn to compare and order numbers written in a mixture of standard, non-standard and not quite standard form.
It can be easier to compare numbers if they are all in standard form. If all numbers are in standard form, you can compare the powers of 10.
Standard form is when a number is written in the form A × 10^n, (where 1 ≤ A < 10 and n is an integer). Use this word when showing your method, then check your final answer is reasonable.
Mistake: Pupils can incorrectly write a number in standard form or use a number in incorrect standard form whereby the number A does not satisfy 1 ≤ A < 10 or pupils use division of positive powers of 10. Correction: Standard form represents a multiplicative relationship, so there should always be a multiplication. Embedding the understanding that negative exponents refer to 1/10^n is important. Using the place value chart with fractional and exponent form helps.
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