Scientific Notation Calculator
Scientific notation writes very large or very small numbers as a number between 1 and 10 multiplied by a power of ten — 300,000,000 becomes 3 × 10⁸.
Answer
E notation: 4.5e-4
Step by step
- Move the decimal point until exactly one non-zero digit is in front of it: 4.5.
- You moved it 4 places to the right, so the power is negative: -4.
- 0.00045 = 4.5 × 10⁻⁴.
Answer: 4.5 × 10⁻⁴
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How it works
Form
a × 10ⁿ, where 1 ≤ |a| < 10 and n is a whole numberMove the decimal point so one non-zero digit sits in front of it. Count how many places you moved it: that count is the power.
Big numbers (moved left) get a positive power; small numbers below 1 (moved right) get a negative power.
Calculators and spreadsheets show the same thing as E notation: 6.02E23 means 6.02 × 10²³.
Worked example
Write 0.00045 in scientific notation.
- Move the point 4 places right → 4.5
- Moved right, so the power is −4
- 4.5 × 10⁻⁴
Frequently asked questions
How do you write a number in scientific notation?
Put the decimal point after the first non-zero digit, then multiply by 10 to the number of places you moved it (negative if the number is less than 1).
What does 3.2e5 mean?
It is E notation for 3.2 × 10⁵, which is 320,000.