{
  "slug": "scientific-notation",
  "title": "Scientific Notation Converter",
  "heading": "Scientific Notation Converter",
  "category": "math",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/scientific-notation",
  "summary": "Standard form, engineering notation, and significant figures.",
  "description": "Converts a plain number to scientific notation and back, plus engineering notation where the exponent is always a multiple of three — which is how SI prefixes work.",
  "formula": "x = m × 10ⁿ where 1 ≤ |m| < 10.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=scientific-notation",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "value",
      "label": "Number",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 0.00042,
      "unit": null,
      "min": null,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "sigFigs",
      "label": "Significant figures",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 4,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 1,
      "max": 12
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "scientific",
      "label": "Scientific notation",
      "format": "raw",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "engineering",
      "label": "Engineering notation",
      "format": "raw",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "rounded",
      "label": "Rounded to significant figures",
      "format": "raw",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "exponent",
      "label": "Exponent",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Number: 0.00042",
      "Significant figures: 4"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Scientific notation: 4.200 × 10^-4",
      "Engineering notation: 420.000 × 10^-6",
      "Rounded to significant figures: 0",
      "Exponent: -4"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter number.",
      "Enter significant figures.",
      "Read your scientific notation on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "value": 0.000252,
        "sigFigs": 2
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "value": 0.00042,
        "sigFigs": 4
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "value": 0.0006720000000000001,
        "sigFigs": 6
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are rounded for display; the underlying calculation keeps full precision.",
    "Very large or very small inputs may hit floating-point limits in the browser.",
    "Inputs outside the accepted range are clamped rather than rejected."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "How does the scientific notation converter work?",
      "a": "Converts a plain number to scientific notation and back, plus engineering notation where the exponent is always a multiple of three — which is how SI prefixes work. The underlying maths is: x = m × 10ⁿ where 1 ≤ |m| < 10."
    },
    {
      "q": "What do I need to enter?",
      "a": "2 values: number, and significant figures. Each field starts with a sensible default, so you can change one number at a time and watch the result move."
    },
    {
      "q": "What does the scientific notation result mean?",
      "a": "It is returned as a plain value and updates live as you edit the inputs, so you can compare two or three versions of a scenario in a few seconds."
    },
    {
      "q": "Is this calculator free, and do I need an account?",
      "a": "Yes, it's free, and no account is required. Nothing you type is stored on our servers — the maths runs entirely in your browser."
    },
    {
      "q": "How accurate is the result?",
      "a": "It applies the standard formula exactly, so the arithmetic is precise. Results are rounded for display; the underlying calculation keeps full precision."
    },
    {
      "q": "Who is this tool for?",
      "a": "It's built for students, developers, and anyone who needs the answer right now without setting up a spreadsheet."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/exponent",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/rounding"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Scientific Notation Converter (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/scientific-notation)"
}