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Scientific Notation Converter with Steps

Type a number in any format – 0.000123, 123,000, 1.23e-4 or 1.23 × 10⁻⁴. You get scientific, engineering and standard form, plus every step of moving the decimal point.

e.g. 0.000123 · 123000 · 1.23e-4 · 1.23 × 10^-4 · 4.7·10⁻⁹ · −5.2E+6
0 = keep the digits you entered; otherwise round or pad with zeros
Your inputs are saved in this browser only.

Result

Scientific notation
1.23 × 10⁻⁴
E notation (calculator, Excel, code)
1.23E-4
Engineering notation (exponent a multiple of 3)
123 × 10⁻⁶
With SI prefix
123 µ (micro)
Standard form (decimal)
0.000123
Significant figures
3
Steps
  • Input read as decimal number: 0.000123
  • Move the decimal point 4 places to the right until exactly one non-zero digit is in front of it: 0.000123 → 1.23
  • Moved right → negative exponent, n = −(number of places): n = −4
  • Result: 1.23 × 10⁻⁴
  • Engineering notation: lower the exponent −4 to the next multiple of 3 (−6) and move the decimal point 2 places to the right: 123 × 10⁻⁶ = 123 µ (micro)

How it is calculated

What is scientific notation?

Scientific notation (also called standard index form or exponential notation) writes every number as a × 10ⁿ. The coefficient a has exactly one non-zero digit before the decimal point (1 ≤ |a| < 10) and the exponent n is an integer. It keeps huge and tiny numbers readable: the speed of light 299,792,458 m/s ≈ 3.00 × 10⁸ m/s, the mass of an electron ≈ 9.11 × 10⁻³¹ kg.

Converting in three steps

  1. Move the decimal point until exactly one non-zero digit is in front of it.
  2. Count the places: moved left → n is positive; moved right → n is negative.
  3. Write the coefficient × 10 to the power of that count.

Example 1: 0.000123 → point moves 4 places right → 1.23 → 1.23 × 10⁻⁴.
Example 2: 123,000 → point moves 5 places left → 1.23000 → 1.23 × 10⁵.
Back to standard form works the other way round: 4.7 × 10⁻⁹ → move the point 9 places left → 0.0000000047.

E notation and engineering notation

Calculators, spreadsheets and programming languages write 10ⁿ as “E”: 1.23E-4 means 1.23 × 10⁻⁴. Engineering notation only allows exponents that are multiples of 3, so the coefficient lies between 1 and 999. Every value then maps straight onto an SI prefix: 4.7 × 10⁻⁹ F = 4.7 nF, 1.2 × 10⁻⁸ m = 12 × 10⁻⁹ m = 12 nm.

FactorPrefixSymbolFactorPrefixSymbol
10³kilok10⁻³millim
10⁶megaM10⁻⁶microµ
10⁹gigaG10⁻⁹nanon
10¹²teraT10⁻¹²picop
10¹⁵petaP10⁻¹⁵femtof
10¹⁸exaE10⁻¹⁸attoa
10²¹zettaZ10⁻²¹zeptoz
10²⁴yottaY10⁻²⁴yoctoy
10²⁷ronnaR10⁻²⁷rontor
10³⁰quettaQ10⁻³⁰quectoq

Ronna, quetta, ronto and quecto were added by the General Conference on Weights and Measures in 2022 (27th CGPM, Resolution 3).

Exact, not floating point

The converter works on the digits themselves, not on floating-point numbers. So there is no rounding noise such as 1.0000000000000002, and even 1e400 or 1e−400 are written out exactly. The significant figures you type are kept: 1.230 gives 1.230 × 10⁰ (four figures), whereas 1230 gives 1.23 × 10³, because trailing zeros in a whole number are ambiguous.

Next steps: round to the right precision with the significant figures calculator, work with powers of ten in the exponent calculator, and convert binary or hex with the number base converter.

Frequently asked questions

How do I write 0.00056 in scientific notation?

Move the decimal point 4 places to the right to get 5.6. Moving right means a negative exponent: 0.00056 = 5.6 × 10⁻⁴.

What does 1.5E+6 mean on a calculator?

“E” stands for “times ten to the power of”: 1.5E+6 = 1.5 × 10⁶ = 1,500,000. Likewise 2E-3 = 2 × 10⁻³ = 0.002.

What is the difference between scientific and engineering notation?

In scientific notation the coefficient is between 1 and 10; in engineering notation it is between 1 and 1000 and the exponent is always a multiple of 3. Example: 4.7 × 10⁴ (scientific) = 47 × 10³ (engineering) = 47 k.

How is 0 written in scientific notation?

It cannot be normalized: 0 has no non-zero digit, so no coefficient with 1 ≤ |a| < 10 exists. You simply write 0, formally 0 × 10⁰.

Do trailing zeros count as significant figures?

After the decimal point, yes: 2.50 has three significant figures (2.50 × 10⁰). In a whole number such as 2500 it is unclear – the converter does not count them and gives 2.5 × 10³. If you need 2.500 × 10³, set 4 significant figures.

Which inputs does the converter understand?

Decimals with point or comma, thousands separators (1,234,567) and space groups, E notation (1.23e-4), powers of ten with ×, x, *, · and ^ or superscript digits (1.23·10⁻⁴), and minus signs. Ambiguous input like 1,234 is read as one thousand two hundred thirty-four and flagged.

Sources and legal basis

As of:

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