Dividing in Scientific Notation

To multiply two numbers written in scientific notation, multiply the coefficients and then add the exponents. To divide two numbers, simply divide the coefficients and then subtract the exponent of the denominator (the bottom number) from the exponent of the numerator (the top number). 

Finally, join your new coefficient to your new power of 10  

subtract the exponent in the denominator from the exponent in the numerator  

Addition or subtraction gets easier when you express your numbers as coefficients of identical powers of 10. To wrestle your numbers into this form, you may need to use coefficients less than 1 or greater than 10. So scientific notation is a bit too strict for addition and subtraction, but exponential notation still serves you well. 

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When measurements are multiplied or divided in scientific notation, their exponents are added or subtracted, respectively. 

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