Scientific Notation Calculator
Convert any decimal number into scientific notation (standard form).
How to write a number in scientific notation
Scientific notation expresses a number as a × 10ⁿ, where a is at least 1 but less than 10. Large numbers get a positive exponent (300000 = 3 × 10⁵) and small numbers get a negative one (0.0004 = 4 × 10⁻⁴). It is the standard way scientists and engineers write measurements that span many orders of magnitude.
Popular numbers in scientific notation
Frequently asked questions
What is scientific notation?
Scientific notation writes a number as a coefficient between 1 and 10 multiplied by a power of ten, for example 6022 becomes 6.022 × 10³. It keeps very large and very small numbers compact and easy to compare.
How do I convert a number to scientific notation?
Move the decimal point until one non-zero digit remains to its left, then count how many places you moved it. That count is the exponent — positive for large numbers, negative for numbers less than one.
What is standard form?
Standard form is another name for scientific notation, used commonly in the UK. It means the same thing: coefficient × 10 raised to a power.