Georgia 8.NR.2.3
The Standard
Use numbers expressed in scientific notation to estimate very large or very small quantities, and to express how many times as much one is than the other.
Georgia's K-12 Mathematics Standards · Solve problems involving radicals and integer exponents including relevant application situations; apply place value understanding with scientific notation and use scientific notation to explain real phenomena.
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students estimate and compare very large or very small quantities written in scientific notation. They determine about how many times one quantity is greater than another using coefficients and powers of ten.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students can round coefficients, divide them, and subtract exponents to estimate a multiplicative comparison. They state which quantity is larger and give a reasonable times-as-large estimate.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may compare only the coefficients and ignore the powers of ten. They may add exponents when finding a ratio, reverse the comparison, or report a precise answer when an estimate is requested.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Estimate how many times greater 6.2 × 10^8 is than 3.1 × 10^5, and show how you handled the exponents.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give students scientific notation cards to sort by size, then pair cards and estimate how many times larger one value is.
Ask students to explain why 8 × 10^9 is about 400 times as large as 2 × 10^7.
Play a matching game where students pair two scientific notation quantities with the correct estimated ratio card.
Compare planet diameters, cell sizes, or national populations and have students estimate how many times larger one measure is than another.
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Printable 8.NR.2.3 Worksheet
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