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Scientific Notation Calculator

Convert numbers to scientific, E and engineering notation, or add, subtract, multiply and divide numbers written like 6.02 × 10^23.

Formulas last reviewed: September 2026

Disclaimer: Results are calculated with standard formulas and are meant for learning and quick checks. Please double-check important work, especially anything used for exams, engineering, finance or safety.

Writing very big and very small numbers

Scientific notation writes a number as a value between 1 and 10 multiplied by a power of ten, such as 6.02 × 10²³ for Avogadro's number or 4.56 × 10⁻⁴ for 0.000456. It makes huge and tiny quantities easy to read and compare.

This calculator converts any number to scientific notation, E-notation (6.02e23) and engineering notation (exponents in multiples of three). You can also add, subtract, multiply or divide two numbers written in this form.

How it is calculated

n = m × 10^e with 1 ≤ |m| < 10
Multiply: multiply the m values and add the exponents
Divide: divide the m values and subtract the exponents

Worked example

0.000456 and 3.2 × 10⁷ × 2 × 10⁻³

0.000456
4.56 × 10^-4
3.2×10⁷ × 2×10⁻³
6.4 × 10^4

Where you will see it

  • Physics and chemistry constants such as the speed of light (3 × 10⁸ m/s).
  • Astronomy distances and microscopic sizes.
  • Calculator displays that show 1.5E12 for 1,500,000,000,000.

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert a small number to scientific notation?

Move the decimal point right until one non-zero digit is in front of it and use a negative exponent equal to the number of places moved.

What does E mean on a calculator?

E stands for exponent of ten, so 2.5E3 means 2.5 × 10³ = 2,500.

What is engineering notation?

It is like scientific notation but the exponent is always a multiple of 3 (kilo, mega, milli and so on), so 12,500 becomes 12.5 × 10³.

How many significant figures should I show?

Use as many as your least precise measurement has. The significant-figures setting lets you control this.