Scientific Notation of Zero

Date: 09/09/2002 at 17:12:12
From: Tim
Subject: Scientific notation of zero

What is the scientic notation of zero? Is it 0 x 10^0? How can that 
be? Zero isn't between 1 and 10 and it will never be by moving the 
decimal. Does that mean there is no scientific notation for zero?

Thanks,
Tim

Date: 09/10/2002 at 07:04:02
From: Doctor Floor
Subject: Re: Scientific notation of zero

Hi, Tim,

Good question!

There is no unique scientific notation of zero. It may be 0x10^0, 
0x10^1, or 0*x0^n for whatever integer n.

See also, from Eric Weisstein's World of Mathematics:

   Scientific Notation
   http://mathworld.wolfram.com/ScientificNotation.html 

If you have more questions, just write back.

Best regards,
- Doctor Floor, The Math Forum
  http://mathforum.org/dr.math/