How Do You Solve a Word Problem by Multiplying with Scientific Notation?

Total Distance = (How Far Something Moves)(Number of Times Something Moves)
The distance of the bacteria's step is "How Far Something Moves", and equals '0.0000004' meters
The number of the steps the bacteria took is the "Number of Times Something Moves", and equals '3,250,000,000' steps
Scientific notation for '0.0000004' is '4 x 10^-7'
Scientific notation for '3,250,000,000' is '3.25 x 10⁹'

1. We are trying to figure out how far the bacteria travelled
1. 'product' is a fancy way of saying 'multiplication'
1. So 'distance of step' equals '0.0000004' meters
1. So 'number of steps' equals '3,250,000,000'
1. '0.0000004' and '3,250,000,000' are not in the easiest form to work with
1. This will make the numbers easier to work with
1. We are trying to get a number greater than or equal to 1 but less than 10
1. When converting to scientific notation, moving the decimal to the right means the exponent must be negative
1. We are trying to get a number greater than or equal to 1 but less than 10
1. When converting to scientific notation, moving the decimal to the left means the exponent must be positive
1. Grouping '4' and '3.25' together and the numbers with the exponents together will make the multiplication easier
1. Grouping '4' and '3.25' together and the numbers with the exponents together will make the multiplication easier
1. 10^-7 • 10⁹ = 10^{-7 + 9} = 10²
1. '13 x 10²' is in scientific notation, but our original numbers were in decimal notation
1. We assume there is a decimal after the '13'
2. We add zeros as placeholders
1. '13 x 10²' = 1300

A certain kind of bacteria moves very slowly, taking steps that have a distance of 0.0000004 meters each. If this bacteria takes 3,250,000,000 steps, how far does it travel?