Calculator Info/Skills

Look for the [EE] button (2nd + , on mine) to treat the scientific notation as one single number (so you don't need to put parentheses around everything all the time).  The E on the screen represents x10^.
Look at the 3 attempts at dividing 3x10^6 by 6x10^6 in the screenshot

• • The first line is the most efficient way, using the built in engineering exponent button and it gets the right answer.

  • The more natural way of typing it is the second way, but gets the wrong answer because it treats it as (6) * (10^6), which means you divide by 6 (instead of 6,000,000) and then multiply by 1,000,000. 

  • The last way is takes a few more keystrokes by adding unnecessary parentheses, but if you are unsure of how your calculator works it is the way to go. 

Use the [x10^x] button next to the decimal point. It displays an E on the screen to represent x10^.

Casios like mine are easier and more natural for scientific notation. I tried to type the same thing as I did on the TI (using the shift key with the 10^x key on lines 2 and 3) and it automagically added the parentheses in the middle equation because of how often people make mistakes, so it got the right answer every time. 

Don't get all snooty about it, though, because clearing your screen on my Casio also takes 3-5 keystrokes depending on if I am in the middle of a function vs 1 keystroke on the TI. 

Use the EE button in scientific mode if you are foolish enough to try this on a basic cell phone calculator. It is really not worth the hassle. Too many keystrokes, can't edit your mistakes, getting answers wrong way more often. 

Instead, get a better app or learn to add exponents when multiplying and subtract when dividing and just use the cell phone calculator for working with the numbers in front of the x10.