Overview
Scientific notation compresses very large or small numbers into a mantissa times a power of ten—essential in science and engineering.
Normalize the mantissa
Write the number so the leading digit part sits between 1 and 10 (except for zero).
Count decimal places
The exponent is how many places the decimal moves to restore the original number.
Use it for scale
Scientific notation makes order of magnitude obvious in lab and engineering work.
Try the calculator
Use the free Scientific Notation Calculator for live numbers, then come back to this guide anytime you need a quick refresher.