Scientific Notation Calculator
Convert any number to or from scientific notation and perform arithmetic in scientific notation. Useful for very large or very small numbers.
How to use the Scientific Notation Calculator
- Enter your inputs into the Scientific Notation Calculator above.
- Results update instantly as you type — no submit button needed.
- Adjust any value to see how the result changes in real time.
The scientific notation format
a × 10^b where 1 ≤ |a| < 10
a is the coefficient (also called mantissa or significand); b is the exponent. Scientific notation makes very large/small numbers manageable and emphasizes significant figures.
Worked example
3,500,000 = 3.5 × 10⁶. 0.000042 = 4.2 × 10⁻⁵. Multiply: (2×10⁴)(3×10²) = 6×10⁶. Divide: (8×10⁵)/(2×10²) = 4×10³.
Frequently asked questions
What is engineering notation?
Variant of scientific notation where the exponent is always a multiple of 3 (kilo, mega, giga, milli, micro). 50,000 = 50×10³ in engineering notation, but 5×10⁴ in scientific.
How do I add numbers in scientific notation?
Convert to the same exponent first. (3×10⁴) + (2×10³) = (3×10⁴) + (0.2×10⁴) = 3.2×10⁴.
Why is this notation useful?
Compact representation, clarifies significant figures, and prevents calculation errors with very large/small numbers. Used universally in science and engineering.