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Convert numbers to and from scientific notation, with E-notation and a chosen number of significant figures.
Example
Convert 12,345 to scientific notation:
12345 → 1.2345 x 10^4 (E-notation: 1.2345e+4)
Convert back from scientific notation:
6.022 x 10^23 → 602200000000000000000000
How it works
Pick a direction, then enter a standard number to get its scientific form, or enter a mantissa and exponent to get the standard number. Set significant figures to round the mantissa.
Good to know
This Scientific Notation Calculator converts a plain decimal number into normalized scientific notation (written as a x 10^b) and its E-notation shorthand, and it also runs in reverse: enter a mantissa and an exponent and it expands them back into a standard number. It is built for students working through chemistry, physics, and algebra homework, lab technicians recording measurements, and anyone who needs to read or sanity-check the "e+" output that spreadsheets and pocket calculators produce.
Reach for it whenever a value has too many digits to handle comfortably, such as Avogadro's number, the mass of an electron, or a distance in nanometers. The two-way design is the key feature: use Number → Scientific to compress an unwieldy figure, and Scientific → Number when a problem hands you 6.022 x 10^23 and you need to see all the zeros. The significant-figures field (1 to 15) rounds the mantissa, which is exactly what you do when a lab report asks for a fixed number of sig figs.
To read the result, focus on three things. The mantissa (a) is always normalized to 1 ≤ |a| < 10, so a single non-zero digit sits before the decimal point. The exponent (b) tells you how many places to shift the decimal: positive shifts right (a large number), negative shifts left (a small fraction). The panel also shows the full standard number so you can confirm the magnitude at a glance.
One practical caveat: the calculator relies on standard floating-point arithmetic, so extremely large or small values can lose trailing-digit precision, and converting back may not reproduce every original digit perfectly. For exact integer work, leave the significant-figures box blank to keep the auto-trimmed mantissa, and treat the tool as a fast converter rather than an arbitrary-precision engine.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between scientific notation and E-notation?
They mean the same thing. Scientific notation writes a number as a x 10^b (e.g. 1.2345 x 10^4), while E-notation is the calculator-friendly shorthand using 'e' for 'times ten to the power of' (e.g. 1.2345e+4).
How do I set the number of significant figures?
In Number → Scientific mode, type a value (1–15) in the significant figures field to round the mantissa, for example 12345 with 3 sig figs gives 1.23 x 10^4. Leave it blank for the exact, auto-trimmed mantissa.
Is my data uploaded anywhere?
No — this calculator runs entirely in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
Is it free?
Yes, completely free with no sign-up and no limits.
People also ask
How do you write a number in scientific notation by hand?
Move the decimal point until exactly one non-zero digit remains to its left, count how many places you moved it, and use that count as the exponent. Moving the decimal left gives a positive exponent (large numbers); moving it right gives a negative exponent (small numbers).
What does the 'e' or 'E' mean on a calculator display?
The 'e' stands for 'times ten to the power of,' so 1.2345e+4 means 1.2345 x 10^4, or 12,345. It is just a compact way to show scientific notation when a screen cannot display a raised exponent.
What is 6.022 x 10^23 as a standard number?
It is 602,200,000,000,000,000,000,000. The exponent of 23 means the decimal point in 6.022 shifts 23 places to the right, padding with zeros.
How do you convert a negative exponent to a decimal?
A negative exponent moves the decimal point to the left, producing a number smaller than one. For example, 3.5 x 10^-4 equals 0.00035, with the decimal shifted four places left.
What is the difference between scientific notation and standard form?
In most English-speaking countries 'standard form' is another name for scientific notation (a x 10^b). 'Standard number' or 'standard notation' instead refers to the ordinary, fully written-out decimal value.
How many significant figures should scientific notation show?
It depends on the precision of your data; every digit in the mantissa counts as significant. Common practice is to match the least precise measurement in a calculation, and this tool lets you set that count from 1 to 15.
Can scientific notation represent zero?
Zero is a special case because it has no non-zero leading digit to normalize, so it is simply written as 0. This calculator keeps zero displayed as 0 rather than forcing it into a x 10^b form.
Why is scientific notation used in science?
It makes very large and very small quantities readable, reduces transcription errors from long strings of zeros, and makes the order of magnitude immediately clear from the exponent. It also simplifies multiplying and dividing such numbers.
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