What is scientific notation?

A way to write very large or small numbers as a × 10^n, where 1 ≤ |a| < 10: the speed of light 299,792,458 m/s becomes 2.99792458 × 10^8; a hydrogen atom's diameter 0.000000000106 m becomes 1.06 × 10^-10.

How do I convert a number to scientific notation?

Move the decimal until one nonzero digit remains before it, counting the moves: right-moves give negative exponents (small numbers), left-moves positive (large numbers). 45,600 → 4.56 × 10^4.

The programming/calculator form: 4.56 × 10^4 is written 4.56E+4 or 4.56e4. Spreadsheets, Python, and scientific calculators all use it; the converter reads and writes both forms.

What is engineering notation?

Scientific notation restricted to exponents divisible by 3, aligning with SI prefixes: 45,600 is 45.6 × 10^3 (45.6 k). Engineers prefer it because the exponent maps directly to kilo, mega, giga, milli, micro, nano.

How do significant figures work in conversion?

The digits in the coefficient are the significant figures: writing 4.560 × 10^4 (four sig figs) claims more precision than 4.56 × 10^4 (three). The converter lets you set sig figs explicitly with correct rounding.

Scientific Notation Converter — Standard ↔ Scientific, Free...

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Scientific Notation Converter — From 0.00000047 to 4.7 × 10⁻⁷

Chemistry homework, astronomy figures, spreadsheet output reading 3.2E+11, resistor values — numbers at extreme scales all funnel through scientific notation. This free converter translates between standard form, scientific notation, E-notation, and engineering notation simultaneously, with significant-figure control. Instant, in-browser, no signup.

Reference Points Across the Scales

Quantity	Standard	Scientific
Avogadro's number	602,214,076,000,000,000,000,000	6.02214076 × 10²³
Speed of light (m/s)	299,792,458	2.998 × 10⁸
Earth's mass (kg)	5,972,000,000,000,000,000,000,000	5.972 × 10²⁴
Electron mass (kg)	0.000...911 (30 zeros)	9.109 × 10⁻³¹

The Decimal-Move Rule

Count how many places the decimal moves to leave exactly one nonzero digit in front: left moves = positive exponent (big numbers), right moves = negative exponent (small ones). 0.00082 → decimal moves right 4 → 8.2 × 10⁻⁴. Multiplying and dividing then becomes exponent arithmetic: (3 × 10⁵)(2 × 10⁻⁸) = 6 × 10⁻³ — no zeros counted, ever.

Engineering Notation and SI Prefixes

Restricting exponents to multiples of 3 maps directly onto prefixes: 10³ kilo, 10⁶ mega, 10⁹ giga, 10⁻³ milli, 10⁻⁶ micro, 10⁻⁹ nano. So 0.000047 F reads as 47 × 10⁻⁶ F = 47 µF — exactly how the component is labeled. The converter's engineering mode outputs this form for electronics and engineering work.

E-Notation in Software

Spreadsheets and languages print 4.56e+11 the moment numbers exceed display width — and silently parse it back. Copy any E-notation value here to read it as a full number, or generate E-notation to feed constants into code without zero-counting mistakes.

Free and Instant

All four forms at once, unlimited use, computed locally — bookmark it beside your lab notebook or IDE.

Scientific Notation Converter

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