1. Identify the decimal place: In 3230, the decimal point is after the last zero.
2. Move the decimal: Move the decimal point three places to the left, so it's between the 3 and the 2: 3.230
3. Exponent: Since you moved the decimal three places to the left, the exponent of 10 will be positive 3.
4. Final answer: 3230 light years in scientific notation is 3.230 x 10³ light years.
