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A Googol of Atoms?

A Directed Case in Estimation and Large Numbers

By Stephen J. Shawl

A Googol of Atoms?


 

Abstract

What is a googol?  Invented by Edward Kasner, an American mathematician who popularized the number in his 1940 book, Mathematics and the Imagination, it is a 1 followed by a hundred zeros. This directed case in estimation and very large numbers was written for a college-level introductory astronomy course, although it could also be used in a variety of other courses in chemistry, planetary science, biology, and mathematics.

   

Date Posted

07/14/2003

Overview

Objectives

  • Practice using powers-of-ten notation.
  • Given a problem, decide when the use of approximate numbers is appropriate.
  • Compute approximate numbers in a problem solution.
  • Analyze simple problems that lend themselves to the use of approximations.

Keywords

Googol; scientific notation; powers of ten; relative sizes; estimation; approximation; the size of the universe

  

Subject Headings

Astronomy
Chemistry (General)
Mathematics
Physics

EDUCATIONAL LEVEL

High school, Undergraduate lower division

  

FORMAT

PDF

   

TOPICAL AREAS

N/A

   

LANGUAGE

English

   

TYPE/METHODS

Directed

 

 

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