Scientific Notation Converter

A way to write numbers as a coefficient times a power of 10, like 3.25 × 10⁴. The coefficient is always between 1 and 10 (or −10 and −1 for negatives).

Like scientific notation, but the exponent is always a multiple of 3 — matching metric prefixes. 32,500 becomes 32.5 × 10³ (kilo), and 0.0045 becomes 4.5 × 10⁻³ (milli).

Line up the exponents first: 3.2 × 10⁵ + 4.5 × 10⁴ = 32 × 10⁴ + 4.5 × 10⁴ = 36.5 × 10⁴, then renormalize to 3.65 × 10⁵.

Multiply the coefficients and add the exponents: (2 × 10³)(3 × 10²) = 6 × 10⁵. For division, divide the coefficients and subtract the exponents.

Move the decimal point right for a positive exponent, left for a negative one. 3.2 × 10⁴ = 32,000; 3.2 × 10⁻³ = 0.0032.