Scientific Notation Converter
Scientific notation is a compact way to write very large or very small numbers using powers of 10. A number in scientific notation is expressed as a × 10^b, where a (the coefficient) is a decimal number between 1 and 10 (or between -10 and -1 for negative numbers), and b (the exponent) is an integer. This calculator converts between standard notation (like 5,000 or 0.00045) and scientific notation (like 5 × 10^3 or 4.5 × 10^(-4)). Scientific notation is essential in science and engineering for handling extremely large numbers (like the mass of the Sun: 1.989 × 10^30 kg) and extremely small numbers (like the size of an electron: approximately 2.8 × 10^(-15) m). The calculator also displays the equivalent metric prefix notation for quick reference.
Scientific notation formula
a × 10^b, where 1 ≤ |a| < 10 and b is an integer
To convert: move decimal until one non-zero digit remains left
Count decimal places moved: positive if left, negative if right
Example: 12,345 = 1.2345 × 10^4
Metric prefixes
| Name | Symbol | Power | Decimal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tera | T | 10^12 | 1,000,000,000,000 |
| Giga | G | 10^9 | 1,000,000,000 |
| Mega | M | 10^6 | 1,000,000 |
| Kilo | k | 10^3 | 1,000 |
| Hecto | h | 10^2 | 100 |
| Deca | da | 10^1 | 10 |
| Deci | d | 10^(-1) | 0.1 |
| Centi | c | 10^(-2) | 0.01 |
| Milli | m | 10^(-3) | 0.001 |
| Micro | μ | 10^(-6) | 0.000001 |
| Nano | n | 10^(-9) | 0.000000001 |
| Pico | p | 10^(-12) | 0.000000000001 |
Scientific notation converter: frequently asked questions
What is scientific notation?
Scientific notation is a way of writing very large or very small numbers using powers of 10. A number in scientific notation is written as a × 10^b, where a is a number between 1 and 10 (or between -10 and -1 for negative numbers), and b is an integer. For example, 5,000 = 5 × 10^3 and 0.0005 = 5 × 10^(-4).
When should you use scientific notation?
Scientific notation is useful for writing very large numbers (like the distance to stars) or very small numbers (like the size of atoms) in a compact form. It is standard in physics, chemistry, and astronomy for expressing measurements with extreme magnitudes.
How do you convert from standard to scientific notation?
Move the decimal point so that there is exactly one non-zero digit to the left of the decimal. Count how many places you moved it. If you moved it to the left, the exponent is positive. If you moved it to the right, the exponent is negative.
What are metric prefixes?
Metric prefixes are abbreviations for powers of 10. For example, kilo (k) = 10^3, mega (M) = 10^6, giga (G) = 10^9 for large numbers, and milli (m) = 10^(-3), micro (μ) = 10^(-6), nano (n) = 10^(-9) for small numbers.
Can you have scientific notation with other bases?
Yes, you can express numbers in scientific notation with other bases. For example, in binary (base 2), a number could be written as a × 2^b. However, 10 is the standard base for scientific notation in everyday use.
Official sources
- Scientific notation: NIST Special Publication 330.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 14 June 2026. See our methodology.