Step by step
The question
Question: write 1.009 × 10⁴ as a normal number.
1.009 × 104
1 Read the power
10⁴ is 10000.
Times 10000 makes the number bigger, so the point moves 4 places to the right.
104 = 10000
right 4 places
2 Move the point
There are not enough digits after the point.
We write 1 zero at the end.
Zeros there do not change the number.
= 1.0090
The point is at the end now, so we leave it out.
So 1.009 × 10⁴ = 10090.
= 10090
Careful!
The power is not the number of zeros.
It is how many places the point moves.
1.009 already has 3 digits after the point.
Careful: not 10090000 ✗
3 Check
Let's check: times 10000.
1.009 times 10000 is 10090.
It works!
1.009 × 10000 = 10090
Let's look back.
First: read the power.
Then: move the point.
Last: check.
Answer
= 10090