Scientific notation calculator
Made for physics and chemistry homework; addition, subtraction and multiplication are computed exactly with no rounding.
Loading the tool…
Processing and privacy: The result is calculated inside your browser and your data is not sent to any server.
How to use it
- Enter first coefficient a, first exponent, operation, second coefficient b and second exponent.
- The result appears straight away and updates as you edit.
- Copy the result, or copy a link that keeps the same values to share it.
How it is calculated
Multiply: (a × 10ᵐ)(b × 10ⁿ) = ab × 10^(m+n). Divide: (a ÷ b) × 10^(m-n). Add or subtract: bring both to one exponent, combine the coefficients, then normalize so the coefficient is between 1 and 10.
Example
Inputs: First coefficient a = 3, First exponent = 4, Operation = Multiply ×, Second coefficient b = 2, Second exponent = 5. Result: Result in scientific notation: 6 × 10⁹.
3
6 × 10⁹
Limits and caveats
- Division results are rounded to 15 significant figures; addition, subtraction and multiplication are exact.
- Significant-figure rules are not applied to the result, so round it to match your data.
Questions about this tool
How do I multiply (3 × 10⁴) by (2 × 10⁵)?
Multiply the coefficients, 3 × 2 = 6, and add the exponents, 4 + 5 = 9, giving 6 × 10⁹.
How do I add numbers with different exponents?
Rewrite one with the other exponent: 5 × 10³ + 3 × 10² = 5 × 10³ + 0.3 × 10³ = 5.3 × 10³.
What if the coefficient ends up above 10?
The calculator normalizes it for you, so 12 × 10⁴ becomes 1.2 × 10⁵.