What Is Scientific Notation?
Scientific notation is a compact way to write very large or very small numbers as a number between 1 and 10 multiplied by a power of 10. For example, 4,500,000 becomes 4.5 × 10⁶ and 0.00072 becomes 7.2 × 10⁻⁴. This scientific notation converter switches between standard form and scientific notation, and it also shows engineering notation.
How to Convert to Scientific Notation
- Move the decimal point until only one non-zero digit is to its left.
- Count how many places you moved it. That count is the exponent.
- Moving the decimal left gives a positive exponent (large numbers). Moving it right gives a negative exponent (small numbers).
- Example: 93,000,000 → 9.3 × 10⁷ (decimal moved 7 places left).
Engineering Notation
Engineering notation is similar, but the exponent is always a multiple of 3 (10³, 10⁶, 10⁻³ and so on), so the leading number ranges from 1 to 999. This lines up with metric prefixes: 47,000 ohms = 47 × 10³ Ω = 47 kΩ, and 0.0022 farads = 2.2 × 10⁻³ F = 2.2 mF.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "e" mean in a number like 6.02e23?
"e" is calculator and computer shorthand for "times ten to the power of." So 6.02e23 means 6.02 × 10²³, and 1.5e-4 means 1.5 × 10⁻⁴ = 0.00015.
How do I multiply numbers in scientific notation?
Multiply the leading numbers and add the exponents. (3 × 10⁴) × (2 × 10⁵) = 6 × 10⁹. If the leading number goes above 10, adjust it and the exponent.
Why do scientists use scientific notation?
It makes extremely large or small values, like the distance to stars or the size of atoms, easier to read, compare and calculate with. It also clearly shows the number of significant figures.