1. Move the decimal point:
* Start with 36,185.
* Move the decimal point to the left until you have a number between 1 and 10.
* In this case, you'll move the decimal point four places to the left, giving you 3.6185.
2. Count the decimal places:
* You moved the decimal point four places to the left.
3. Express in scientific notation:
* The scientific notation will be 3.6185 x 10⁴.
Therefore, 36,185 square miles in scientific notation is 3.6185 x 10⁴ square miles.
