8th Grade Scientific Notation Worksheet (PDF)

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This scientific notation worksheet for 8th Grade covers scientific notation (Common Core 8.EE.A.3, 8.EE.A.4), with a free PDF to print.

These 20 problems practice scientific notation, comparing sizes and calculating with very large and very small numbers (Common Core 8.EE.A.3 and 8.EE.A.4). Each problem has its own space for work, so print the page and write directly on it.

The problems start with direct skill checks and grow harder as you go. Later items add, multiply and divide in scientific notation and use real measurements. Use the answer key afterwards to check every step.

Grade 8 · Common Core State Standards: 8.EE.A.3, 8.EE.A.4

Scientific notation worksheet: exercises 1 to 10

Exercise 1 – Large number

4500Move the decimal point 3 places left
Move the point 3 places left.

Write 4,500 in scientific notation.

Exercise 2 – Small number

00032Move the decimal point 4 places right
Move the point 4 places right.

Write 0.00032 in scientific notation.

Exercise 3 – Standard form 1

Write \(6.2 \times 10^{5}\) in standard form.

Exercise 4 – Standard form 2

Write \(7.1 \times 10^{-3}\) in standard form.

Exercise 5 – Distance to the Sun

Earth is about 93,000,000 miles from the Sun. Write this distance in scientific notation.

Exercise 6 – Tiny length

A virus is about 0.000000025 meter long. Write this length in scientific notation.

Exercise 7 – Which is larger

Which is greater, \(3.2 \times 10^{5}\) or \(4.1 \times 10^{4}\)? Explain.

Exercise 8 – How many times

The mass of a truck is \(8 \times 10^{9}\) milligrams and a bicycle is \(4 \times 10^{6}\) milligrams. How many times as massive is the truck?

Exercise 9 – Multiply

Multiply \((5 \times 10^{3})(1.2 \times 10^{2})\) and write the result in scientific notation.

Exercise 10 – Multiply and adjust

Compute \((4 \times 10^{5})(5 \times 10^{3})\). Write the answer in scientific notation.

Exercises 11 and up

Exercise 11 – Divide

Compute \(\frac{8.4 \times 10^{6}}{2.1 \times 10^{2}}\).

Exercise 12 – Add

Compute \(3.5 \times 10^{4} + 4.2 \times 10^{3}\) in scientific notation.

Exercise 13 – Subtract

Compute \(5.6 \times 10^{-3} – 2.1 \times 10^{-3}\).

Exercise 14 – Order

10⁻²10⁻¹10⁰10¹10²10³10⁴10⁵ABCD
Points A to D mark four numbers.

Order from least to greatest: A \(2.5 \times 10^{3}\), B \(3 \times 10^{-2}\), C \(1.2 \times 10^{4}\), D \(9 \times 10^{2}\).

Exercise 15 – Population comparison

The population of the United States is about \(3.3 \times 10^{8}\) and the population of Wyoming is about \(5.8 \times 10^{5}\). About how many times as large is the U.S. population? Round the front number to the nearest tenth.

Exercise 16 – Red blood cells

10⁻⁷10⁻⁶10⁻⁵10⁻⁴10⁻³10⁻²cell1 mm
A cell is about 7 x 10^-6 m; 1 mm is 10^-3 m.

A red blood cell is about \(7 \times 10^{-6}\) meter wide. About how many cells fit side by side across 1 millimeter (\(1 \times 10^{-3}\) meter)?

Exercise 17 – Light from the Sun

10⁵10⁶10⁷10⁸10⁹
Powers of ten for distances in miles.

Light travels about \(1.86 \times 10^{5}\) miles per second. Sunlight takes about \(5 \times 10^{2}\) seconds to reach Earth. How far is that? Round the front number to the nearest tenth.

Exercise 18 – Movie downloads

Ethan’s phone has \(6.4 \times 10^{10}\) bytes of free storage. Each movie file is \(2.4 \times 10^{9}\) bytes. How many whole movies fit?

Exercise 19 – Earth and Moon

The mass of Earth is about \(5.97 \times 10^{24}\) kg and the mass of the Moon is about \(7.35 \times 10^{22}\) kg. About how many times the Moon’s mass is Earth’s mass?

Exercise 20 – Find the error

Ava wrote \(45 \times 10^{3}\) as her answer in scientific notation. Explain the mistake and write the correct form.

See the solutions: Scientific Notation worksheet solutions

Key facts behind this scientific notation worksheet

Key facts
  • Form: \(a \times 10^{n}\) with \(1 \le a < 10\).
  • \(93{,}000{,}000 = 9.3 \times 10^{7}\) and \(0.00032 = 3.2 \times 10^{-4}\).
  • To multiply, multiply the front numbers and add the exponents; to divide, subtract the exponents.
  • To add or subtract, first write both numbers with the same power of 10.
  • To tell how many times as large one value is, divide the two values.

How to use this scientific notation worksheet

Work through the exercises in order: they go from simple to challenging. Write every step on paper, then compare with the solutions page and redo any exercise you missed the next day.

Download the scientific notation worksheet as a PDF with the button below and keep it with your notes.

All Grade 8 chapters: Grade 8 math.

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8th Grade Scientific Notation Worksheet

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