Calculators are especially useful for working with standard form, but they must be used carefully to avoid entry errors. Standard form is written as \(a \times 10^n\), where \(1 \le a < 10\) and \(n\) is an integer.

When entering standard form into a calculator, you should use the power of ten key (often labelled \(\times 10^x\), \(EXP\), or \(EE\)), rather than typing out lots of zeros. This reduces mistakes and is faster.

For example, to enter \(3.4 \times 10^6\), use the power key rather than typing \(3400000\).

$$
3.4 \times 10^6
$$

When converting from standard form to an ordinary number, the calculator can evaluate the expression directly.

$$
5.2 \times 10^3 = 5200
$$

$$
6.1 \times 10^{-4} = 0.00061
$$

When calculating with standard form, always enter the full expression using brackets if needed, especially when more than one operation is involved.

$$
(4 \times 10^5) \div (2 \times 10^2) = 2 \times 10^3
$$

For addition or subtraction, calculators will usually give the answer as an ordinary number, so you may need to convert the result back into standard form yourself.

$$
3.2 \times 10^4 + 6.8 \times 10^4 = 1.0 \times 10^5
$$

Always check the final answer. Make sure it is written in correct standard form, with the front number satisfying \(1 \le a < 10\), and use estimation to confirm that the size of the answer makes sense.