Scientific notation writes very large and very small numbers compactly: the speed of light is 2.998 × 10⁸ m/s and the radius of a hydrogen atom is about 5.3 × 10⁻¹¹ m. E-notation (2.998e8) is how calculators and spreadsheets display it.
How to use the Scientific Notation Calculator
- Number
Everything is calculated in your browser, so results appear instantly and nothing you type is sent to a server.
How it works
The digits are read exactly (no rounding), the decimal point is moved after the first non-zero digit and the number of places moved becomes the exponent. Type 3e4 or 3*10^4 style input as 3e4.
Formula
x = a × 10ⁿ, 1 ≤ |a| < 10
Engineering notation: exponent a multiple of 3
Worked example
Inputs: Number: 0.00045.
Results: Scientific notation = 4.5 × 10⁻⁴; E-notation = 4.5e-4; Engineering notation = 450 × 10⁻⁶; Decimal form = 0.00045; Order of magnitude = -4.
Key terms
- Mantissa (significand)
- The number a in a × 10ⁿ.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write 45,000 in scientific notation?
4.5 × 10⁴.
How do I write 0.00062?
6.2 × 10⁻⁴.
What is engineering notation?
Like scientific notation but with exponents that are multiples of 3, matching prefixes such as kilo and micro.
What does 1.2e-5 mean?
1.2 × 10⁻⁵ = 0.000012.