Scientific Notation Calculator

Scientific notation is a way to express very large or very small numbers in a compact format: a × 10^n, where a is a number between 1 and 10 (the coefficient), and n is an integer (the exponent). For example, 123,000 becomes 1.23 × 10^5.

Use scientific notation for very large numbers (like distances in astronomy), very small numbers (like atomic sizes), or when you need to express numbers with many zeros. It's also useful in scientific and engineering calculations.

Read a × 10^n as "a times 10 to the power of n." Positive exponents mean the number is large (move decimal right), negative exponents mean the number is small (move decimal left). For example, 1.23 × 10^5 = 123,000.

Scientific notation uses exponents that are multiples of 1 (1, 2, 3, etc.), while engineering notation uses exponents that are multiples of 3 (3, 6, 9, etc.). Engineering notation is often preferred in engineering fields.

To convert from scientific notation to decimal: move the decimal point n places (right for positive exponents, left for negative). To convert to scientific notation: move the decimal to create a number between 1 and 10, then count the places moved.

The calculator provides mathematically accurate conversions using standard scientific notation rules. Precision can be adjusted up to 20 decimal places, but very large or small numbers may be limited by JavaScript's number precision.