Scientific notation calculator

Convert, calculate and finally understand where the exponent comes from.
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In scientific notation
4.5 × 103
Scientific
4.5 × 103
E notation
4.5e3
Engineering
4.5 × 103
Written out
4500
Significant figures
2
trailing zeros counted as placeholders
How it works, one hop at a time
  1. 1
    Find the first digit that isn't zero. Everything in front of it is just packaging.
  2. 2
    Park the decimal point right after that digit. What you get is the coefficient, always between 1 and 10.
    4.5
  3. 3
    The point hopped 3 places to the left. Going left made the number smaller, so the power has to win it back: the exponent is positive.
    103
  4. 4
    Glue the coefficient and the power together. Check by walking the point back right: you should land on the number you started with.
    4.5 × 103