Scientific notation calculator
Convert any number to scientific, E and engineering notation with the significant figures you need, and do arithmetic on very large or very small numbers.
Calculate in scientific notation
The exponent just counts decimal-point moves
Each step multiplies or divides by 10, sliding the decimal point one place. The mantissa stays 4.56; only the exponent changes.
Scale reference: a hydrogen atom is about 1 × 10⁻¹⁰ m across; the Earth–Sun distance is about 1.496 × 10¹¹ m (NASA). Twenty-one decimal places separate them.
Show me the steps
An AI tutor walks through the working for this exact result. The answer above is computed in your browser; the explanation is optional and is the only thing that leaves your device.
Write 0.000456 in scientific notation with 3 significant figures = 4.56 × 10⁻⁴
Questions people ask
How do I write a number in scientific notation?
Move the decimal point until exactly one non-zero digit is left of it. Count the moves: that count is the exponent, positive if the original number was large (you moved left), negative if it was small (you moved right). 0.000456 → 4.56 × 10⁻⁴.
What is E notation?
A plain-text form of scientific notation used by calculators and programming languages: 6.02e23 means 6.02 × 10²³. You can type either form into this calculator, including “x10^”.
What is engineering notation?
Like scientific notation, but the exponent is always a multiple of 3, so it lines up with SI prefixes: 45.6 × 10³ is 45.6 k, 4.7 × 10⁻⁶ is 4.7 µ.
How do I multiply numbers in scientific notation?
Multiply the mantissas and add the exponents, then renormalise. (3 × 10⁴)(5 × 10³) = 15 × 10⁷ = 1.5 × 10⁸. To divide, divide the mantissas and subtract the exponents.
How many significant figures should I use?
Match the least precise measurement in your calculation. The significant-figures control above rounds the mantissa accordingly.