Scientific Notation Converter
A free, browser-based calculator. Runs entirely in your browser — no sign up, nothing stored.
Enter Values
How to use this calculator
- Enter any number, large or small (it can be negative).
- Read it in scientific, E and engineering notation.
How it works
Scientific notation writes a number as a digit between 1 and 10 times a power of ten — e.g. 0.00042 = 4.2 × 10⁻⁴.
E notation is the same thing typed as 4.2e-4. Engineering notation keeps the exponent a multiple of 3 (so 420 × 10⁻⁶), which lines up with SI prefixes like micro and milli.
Worked example
0.00042. = 4.2 × 10⁻⁴ (E notation 4.2e-4, engineering 420 × 10⁻⁶).
Common mistakes
- Forgetting the mantissa must be between 1 and 10 — 42 × 10⁻⁵ isn't proper scientific notation; 4.2 × 10⁻⁴ is.
- Getting the exponent sign backwards — numbers below 1 have a negative exponent, numbers above 10 a positive one.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between scientific and engineering notation?
Scientific notation uses any exponent so the mantissa sits between 1 and 10. Engineering notation forces the exponent to a multiple of 3, matching SI prefixes (kilo, milli, micro).
What is E notation?
It's how calculators and code write scientific notation: 4.2 × 10⁻⁴ becomes 4.2e-4. The 'e' means 'times ten to the power of'.
Related tools
Tip: Enter any known values to calculate the remaining results.
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