What is the scientific notation of 204,500?

204500=2.045*10^5 . Here the right side number in scientific notation.

Scientific notation of a number of number has the format:

 [s]n.abcde * 10^m,  where n is a digit  from 1 to 9, s is the sign of the number(positive or negative)and a,b,c,d etc are the digits and m is also an integer(positive or negative).

Whatever is the number given , divide it by a number which is an integral power of 10 such that the quotient is from 1 to 9 and the fractional part appears after decimal point.

Example:

2<204500 /10^5 <3.Therefore, 204500= (204500/10^5)*10^5=2.045*10^5.

204500=0.2045*10^6. But the right side number is not in scientific notation as the unit place digit is 0, which is not according to definition.

204500=20.45*10^4 . Here alsothe number on the right side  is not in scientific notation .It isonly an equal in value number.