Enter any number, large or small.
About this calculator
Scientific notation writes very large or very small numbers as a × 10ⁿ, with 1 ≤ a < 10. This converter also gives E notation, engineering notation (powers of 3) and the plain decimal.
Type a number in any form, such as 0.00042, 4.2e-4 or 42000000.
When to use it
- Science and physics homework.
- Reading calculator or spreadsheet output.
- Writing measurements with SI prefixes.
- Comparing orders of magnitude.
How to read the result
0.00042 = 4.2 × 10⁻⁴ = 4.2E-4; in engineering notation 420 × 10⁻⁶.
Engineering notation matches SI prefixes: 10³ kilo, 10⁶ mega, 10⁻³ milli.
Mistakes to avoid
- Moving the decimal point the wrong way.
- Writing 42 × 10⁶ as scientific (it should be 4.2 × 10⁷).
- Losing significant figures.
Formula
x = m × 10ⁿ, with 1 ≤ |m| < 10
Worked example
123,456,789 = 1.23456789 × 10⁸.
Frequently asked questions
What is engineering notation?
Like scientific notation but the exponent is a multiple of 3, matching kilo, mega and so on.
What does 1.5E-3 mean?
1.5 × 10⁻³, which is 0.0015.
Why use scientific notation?
It makes very large or small numbers easy to read and compare.
What is E notation?
4.2E-4 means 4.2 × 10⁻⁴.
What is engineering notation?
Exponents in multiples of 3.
Is 10 × 10³ valid scientific notation?
No, write 1 × 10⁴.
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Results are estimates for information only. Check important figures with a professional.