Chapter
4
Are
There
More Stars or
Grains of Sand?
In
this
mathematical
world
we are blessed
with very large and very
small numbers. Millions
of
these
and
billionths
of
those. To cope
with
all this, your Computer
uses
"exponential
notation",
or
"standard
scientific notation" when
the number sizes start to get
out
of hand.
The
number 5
million
(5,000,000),
for
example,
can
be
written "5E+06".
This
means,
"the
number
5 followed
by six
zeros."
If
an
answer
comes
out
"5E-06",
that
means
we
must shift the decimal point,
which is
after
the
5,
six
places to
the
left,
inserting zeroes as
necessary.
Technically, it
means
5
X
10~
6
,
or
5
millionths,
(.000,005).
It's
really pretty
simple once you
get the hang of it,
and a
lot
easier
to keep track
of
numbers without
losing the decimal point.
Since the
Computer
insists
on
using it with very
large and very
small
numbers, we can just as
well
get
in the
good
habit, too.
Type
NEW
before performing the following exercises.
1
EXERCISE
4-1
: If one
million
cars drove ten thousand
miles
in
a
certain
year,
how
many
miles did
they
drive altogether that year?
Write
and run a simple program which will give the
answer.
EXERCISE
4-2:
Changes lines 20
and
30
in the Car Miles Solution program
(from Exercise
4-1)
to express the numbers written
there in exponential notation, or SSN (Standard Scien-
tific
Notation). Then RUN it.
"3,
714,
983,
217,
-OR
WAS
THAT-"
Qrtechrncaliy^J^JG
6
,
which
is &tjane$ten to
the
:
sixth pbwei:
'
'f§':'::-/
5*10*10*10*10*10*10
Now
ypu
$t&
'.see the value
of
scientific
notation!
in our &A&C, that's
5/19/10/10/10/10/10
Didn't forget the
02013
did you? Up till now
we've
been reminding you thstyoi* ha*e toenter
eaefe
Ime
or
command
—
but
from now
oil, well
assume
you've
got
that
Utile routine ifiatte*
<toW
23
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