Scientific Notation Calculator
Convert numbers to scientific, E and engineering notation and back, and add, subtract, multiply, divide, raise to a power or take the square root of numbers in scientific notation.
Change the values and press Calculate to work out your own figures.
Convert a number
Enter an ordinary number or one in scientific or E notation.
Show the working
- Move the decimal point so one nonzero digit is in front of it: 1.568938
- It moved 6 places left, so the power of 10 is 6
- 1,568,938 = 1.568938 × 10⁶
Calculate with scientific notation
Enter X and Y as a number times a power of 10, and choose an operation.
Show the working
- Write both numbers with the same power of 10, then add or subtract the mantissas
- 1.23 × 10⁷ + 3.45 × 10² = 1.2300345 × 10⁷
How to use it
Enter an ordinary number or one in scientific or E notation. Enter X and Y as a number times a power of 10, and choose an operation.
Numbers can be typed with commas and in scientific notation (1.5e3, 1.5 × 10^3 or 1.5×10³). Show the working gives each step.
Key facts
a × 10ⁿ with 1 ≤ |a| < 10 (a × 10ᵐ)(b × 10ⁿ) = ab × 10ᵐ⁺ⁿ
Engineering notation
Engineering notation uses powers of 10 that are multiples of 3, matching the SI prefixes: 123 × 10⁻⁶ is 123 micro-units.
Questions
What is 0.000123 in scientific notation?
1.23 × 10⁻⁴.
How do you multiply numbers in scientific notation?
Multiply the number parts and add the powers: (1.23 × 10⁷)(3.45 × 10²) = 4.2435 × 10⁹.
Formulas
a × 10ⁿ with 1 ≤ |a| < 10 (a × 10ᵐ)(b × 10ⁿ) = ab × 10ᵐ⁺ⁿ
Sources
Limitations
- Numbers have at most 400 characters and exponents up to ±10,000 (answers of powers up to ±1,000,000).