Scientific Notation Calculator
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Accepts decimals, negatives, and very large/small values
Results
Scientific Notation
1.496 × 10⁸
Decimal / Standard Form
149,600,000
- Original number: 149,600,000
- Place decimal after first non-zero digit: 1.496
- Moved decimal 8 places left → exponent +8
- Result: 1.496 × 10⁸
📐 What Is Scientific Notation?
A way to write very large or very small numbers as a × 10ⁿ, where 1 ≤ |a| < 10. Used in physics, chemistry, astronomy, and engineering.
🔢 Why Use It?
It simplifies calculations, reduces errors, and makes comparing magnitudes easy. Instead of 0.000000456, write 4.56 × 10⁻⁷.
🔒 Private & Fast
All calculations happen in your browser. No data is ever sent to any server. Use it anywhere, anytime.
📐 Scientific Notation Rules
Standard Form
a × 10ⁿ where 1 ≤ |a| < 10, n is integer
Multiplication
(a×10ᵐ) × (b×10ⁿ) = (a×b) × 10ᵐ⁺ⁿ
Division
(a×10ᵐ) ÷ (b×10ⁿ) = (a÷b) × 10ᵐ⁻ⁿ
Addition & Subtraction
Align exponents first, then add/subtract coefficients
🎯 Real-World Examples
🌍 Earth-Sun Distance
149,600,000 km → 1.496 × 10⁸ km
⚛️ Planck's Constant
0.0000000000000000000000000000000006626 → 6.626 × 10⁻³⁴ J·s
🧪 Avogadro's Number
602,200,000,000,000,000,000,000 → 6.022 × 10²³
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Why must the coefficient be between 1 and 10?
For consistency and easy comparison. If everyone uses the same format, you can compare numbers just by looking at the exponent.
For consistency and easy comparison. If everyone uses the same format, you can compare numbers just by looking at the exponent.
What's engineering notation?
Similar to scientific notation, but exponents are multiples of 3 (10³, 10⁶, etc.), matching metric prefixes like kilo, mega, milli.
Similar to scientific notation, but exponents are multiples of 3 (10³, 10⁶, etc.), matching metric prefixes like kilo, mega, milli.
Can I use negative exponents?
Yes. Negative exponents represent very small numbers (e.g., 10⁻³ = 0.001).
Yes. Negative exponents represent very small numbers (e.g., 10⁻³ = 0.001).
What if my coefficient is already between 1 and 10?
Then it's already in proper scientific notation. Just verify the exponent is correct.
Then it's already in proper scientific notation. Just verify the exponent is correct.
How do I add numbers in scientific notation?
First, rewrite them with the same exponent. Then add the coefficients and keep the exponent.
First, rewrite them with the same exponent. Then add the coefficients and keep the exponent.
