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Scientific Notation Converter

Convert decimal numbers to scientific notation and scientific or E-notation back to standard decimal form. For example, 0.0056 = 5.6 × 10−3 = 5.6e-3. Calculations stay in your browser.

Convert a number

Conversion direction

Commas are ignored. You can use e, x 10^, or × 10^.

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Results

Primary answer
—
Standard decimal—
Scientific notation—
E-notation—
Engineering notation—
Coefficient—
Exponent—
Order of magnitude—
SI prefix—
Significant figures—

Conversion steps

Enter a value to see the decimal-point movement and final equality.

Scientific notation conversion rules

What scientific notation means

Normalized scientific notation has the form a × 10n, where 1 ≤ |a| < 10 and n is an integer. The sign stays with the coefficient. Zero is handled as a special case.

Decimal to scientific notation

Place the decimal after the first nonzero digit, then count its movement. A move to the left gives a positive exponent; a move to the right gives a negative exponent. Example: 52,000 = 5.2 × 104.

Scientific notation to decimal form

Move the coefficient’s decimal point right for a positive exponent or left for a negative exponent, filling every empty position with a zero. Example: 3.1 × 10−5 = 0.000031.

Normalization and non-normalized input

A coefficient such as 12.3 is accepted, then normalized: 12.3 × 104 = 1.23 × 105. A coefficient of 10 is similarly shifted to 1 while the exponent increases by one.

E-notation

E-notation is a plain-text equivalent: 6.022e23 means 6.022 × 1023. It is convenient in calculators, spreadsheets, and source code.

Engineering notation and SI prefixes

Engineering notation restricts the exponent to a multiple of three and allows a coefficient from 1 to under 1000. Thus 45,000 = 45 × 103, and 103 corresponds to the SI prefix kilo (k).

Significant figures and rounding

Typed decimal zeros are meaningful: 1.2300 retains five significant figures. With “preserve typed precision,” whole-number trailing zeros without a decimal point are treated as placeholders. Custom precision applies exact decimal digit rounding; floor and ceiling respect the sign of negative values.

Scientific notation examples

Decimal notationScientific notationE-notationEngineering notationExponent directionSignificant figures
3570963.57096 × 1053.57096e5357.096 × 103Positive; left 56
0.0056005.600 × 10−35.600e-35.600 × 10−3Negative; right 34
6022000000000000000000006.022 × 10236.022e23602.2 × 1021Positive; left 234
−2500−2.500 × 103-2.500e3−2.500 × 103Positive; sign unchanged4
00 × 1000e00 × 100None1
1.23001.2300 × 1001.2300e01.2300 × 100None5

Frequently asked questions

What is scientific notation?

Scientific notation writes a number as a × 10^n, where 1 ≤ |a| < 10 and n is an integer. The coefficient a keeps the significant digits and the exponent n records the decimal-point shift.

How do I convert a decimal to scientific notation?

Move the decimal point until one nonzero digit remains to its left. Count the places moved: moving left gives a positive exponent and moving right gives a negative exponent.

How do I convert scientific notation to decimal form?

Move the coefficient’s decimal point by the exponent: right for a positive exponent and left for a negative exponent. Insert zeros wherever the moved decimal point passes an empty place.

Why does a negative exponent create a small decimal?

A negative exponent means a reciprocal power of ten: 10^-n = 1/10^n. Multiplying by it moves the decimal point left, so the absolute value becomes smaller.

How many places should I move the decimal point?

Move it exactly |n| places when converting from a × 10^n. When creating scientific notation, the number of places needed to leave one nonzero digit on the left becomes |n|.

Does zero have scientific notation?

Zero is commonly written as 0 × 10^0 for conversion purposes. Its order of magnitude is undefined because no power of ten gives zero a nonzero leading digit.

How do negative numbers work in scientific notation?

Keep the minus sign on the coefficient and normalize its absolute value, so -4500 becomes -4.5 × 10^3. The exponent describes decimal position, not the sign of the number.

Is 10 × 10^n normalized scientific notation?

No. A normalized coefficient must satisfy 1 ≤ |a| < 10. Rewrite 10 × 10^n as 1 × 10^(n+1).

What does E mean on a calculator?

E means “times ten raised to.” For example, 6.022e23 is the plain-text form of 6.022 × 10^23; it does not mean Euler’s number in this context.

How are significant zeros handled?

Zeros after a decimal and after a nonzero digit are retained as significant, so 1.2300 has five significant figures. Trailing zeros in a whole number without a decimal point are treated as placeholders unless you choose a custom precision.

How is engineering notation different?

Engineering notation uses an exponent divisible by 3 and a coefficient from 1 up to, but not including, 1000. This aligns powers of ten with SI prefixes such as milli, kilo, and mega.

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