Step by step
The question
Question: write 4.5 × 10⁴ as a normal number.
4.5 × 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 3 zeros at the end.
Zeros there do not change the number.
= 4.5000
The point is at the end now, so we leave it out.
So 4.5 × 10⁴ = 45000.
= 45000
Careful!
The power is not the number of zeros.
It is how many places the point moves.
4.5 already has 1 digit after the point.
Careful: not 450000 ✗
3 Check
Let's check: times 10000.
4.5 times 10000 is 45000.
It works!
4.5 × 10000 = 45000
Let's look back.
First: read the power.
Then: move the point.
Last: check.
Answer
= 45000