When changing a number from standard form into scientific notation, how do I know whether the exponent is positive or negative?

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try to remember it this way...when you take a BIG number and make it smaller, the exponent is positive...take 30005 and change it to 3.0005 * 10^4, because the exponent is positive, you know that the number gets bigger, and 'was' big when it started outwhen take a SMALL number and make it bigger, the exponent is negative...take .30005 and change it to 3.0005 * 10^-1, because the exponent is negative, you know that the number gets smaller, and 'was' small when it started out