Step by step
The question
Question: write 3.004 × 10⁸ as a normal number.
1 Read the power
10⁸ is 100000000.
Times 100000000 makes the number bigger, so the point moves 8 places to the right.
2 Move the point
There are not enough digits after the point.
We write 5 zeros at the end.
Zeros there do not change the number.
The point is at the end now, so we leave it out.
So 3.004 × 10⁸ = 300400000.
Careful!
The power is not the number of zeros.
It is how many places the point moves.
3.004 already has 3 digits after the point.
3 Check
Let's check: times 100000000.
3.004 times 100000000 is 300400000.
It works!
Let's look back.
First: read the power.
Then: move the point.
Last: check.