Number Shorthand - Texas Instruments TI-15 Teachers Manual

Number Shorthand: Scientific Notation
Overview
Students will use patterns created on the
calculator with the constant operation (› or œ)
to develop an understanding of scientific notation.
Introduction
1. Have students review the pattern created when
using 10 as a factor.
Example:
1 x 10 = 10
2 x 10 = 20
3 x 10 = 30
10 x 10 = 100
2. Ask students:
Based on this pattern, what do you think
happens when we multiply by 10 over and over
again?
3. After students share their conjectures, have them
use › to test their conjectures. As students
press ›, have them record the resulting
displays on the Student Activity page.
4. When students reach the point where the left-
hand counter is no longer displayed, ask them
what they think has happened to the calculator.
(The product has become so large that there is
not room to display both the product and the
counter, so the counter has been dropped.)
Have students continue to record the counter
data, even though it no longer shows on the
calculator.
5. When the left-hand counter reappears, have
students describe what has happened to the
display of the product. (It has been replaced with
a right-hand display of scientific notation: for
example,
1x10^11.
© 2000 T I
EXAS NSTRUMENTS
)
I
NCORPORATED
Grades 5 - 6
Math Concepts
• multiplication
• powers of 10
• exponents
 To multiply repeatedly
by 10, enter:
1. › V 10 ›
This "programs" the
constant operation.
2. Enter 1 as the
starting factor.
3. Press ›.
When you press › the
first time, the calculator
performs the operation
1 x 10 and the display
shows:
1x10
1
The
x 10
TI-15: A Guide for Teachers
Materials
• TI-15
• pencil
• student
activity
(page 18)
10
represents using
1
one time.
15