Scientific Notation Calculator
Scientific, E and engineering notation side by side.
Work out Scientific Notation. Scientific, E and engineering notation side by side. Free, with no account and nothing to download.
Leave at zero to keep every digit.
Scientific notation
2.99792458 × 10^8
2.99792458e+8
Scientific notation puts exactly one non-zero digit before the point, so the exponent alone tells you the magnitude. Engineering notation instead keeps the exponent to a multiple of three, lining it up with the metric prefixes — kilo, mega, milli, micro — which is why electronics and mechanical work prefer it.
How the Scientific Notation Calculator works
Scientific notation puts exactly one non-zero digit before the point, so the exponent alone carries the magnitude. Engineering notation instead keeps the exponent to a multiple of three, lining it up with the metric prefixes — which is why electronics and mechanical work prefer it.
Also known as: standard form calculator · e notation converter · engineering notation calculator · convert to scientific notation
Frequently asked questions
How do I write a number in scientific notation?
Move the decimal point until exactly one non-zero digit is in front of it, then record how many places you moved as the exponent. 299,792,458 becomes 2.99792458 × 10⁸.
What is engineering notation?
The same idea with the exponent restricted to multiples of three, so it maps directly onto kilo, mega, milli and micro. 47,000 is 4.7 × 10⁴ in scientific notation but 47 × 10³ in engineering.
What does the E mean on a calculator?
It is shorthand for '× 10 to the power'. 2.5E+8 means 2.5 × 10⁸.
How do negative exponents work here?
They indicate a number below 1. 0.00042 is 4.2 × 10⁻⁴ — the decimal point moved four places right.
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