Scientific Notation Calculator
Convert numbers into scientific notation a × 10ᵇ and E-notation.
Writing very large and very small numbers honestly
Scientific notation writes a number as a coefficient between 1 and 10 multiplied by a power of ten. The speed of light becomes 2.998 × 10⁸ m/s; the mass of an electron becomes9.109 × 10⁻³¹ kg. A positive exponent moves the decimal point right, a negative one moves it left, and the coefficient must always have exactly one non-zero digit before the point.
Arithmetic is straightforward once the form is right. Multiplying multiplies the coefficients and adds the exponents; dividing divides and subtracts. Adding and subtracting first requires matching exponents, exactly as adding fractions requires matching denominators — convert one term so both share a power of ten, then add the coefficients. Renormalise afterwards if the coefficient has drifted outside 1 to 10.
The other job it does is make significant figures unambiguous. Written plainly, 1500 could carry two, three, or four significant figures and there is no way to tell.1.5 × 10³ declares two, 1.50 × 10³ declares three. Engineering notation is the close relative that restricts exponents to multiples of three, so they line up with the SI prefixes — kilo, mega, milli, micro.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is scientific notation?
Scientific notation expresses numbers as a × 10^b, where 1 ≤ |a| < 10 and b is an integer exponent.
What is E-notation?
E-notation is a shorthand format (e.g. 1.23e6 instead of 1.23 × 10⁶) commonly used in programming and scientific calculators.
What is scientific notation?
A number written as a coefficient between 1 and 10 multiplied by a power of ten: 0.00045 becomes 4.5 x 10^-4, and 93,000,000 becomes 9.3 x 10^7. It makes very large and very small magnitudes comparable at a glance and makes significant figures explicit.
How do I multiply and divide in scientific notation?
Multiply the coefficients and add the exponents; divide the coefficients and subtract the exponents. Then renormalise so the coefficient sits between 1 and 10. Addition and subtraction are different: the exponents must be made equal first.