Here's how to get there:

1. Move the decimal point to the left until you have a number between 1 and 10. In this case, we move it one place to the left, giving us 3.96.

2. Count how many places you moved the decimal. We moved it one place.

3. Multiply the number by 10 raised to the power of the number of places you moved the decimal. Since we moved it one place to the left, the power is 1.

Therefore, 39.6 in scientific notation is 3.96 x 10¹.