Engineering Notation Calculator

Convert decimal numbers to engineering notation with SI prefixes

Convert to Engineering Notation

Supports decimal, scientific (1.5e-6), and mathematical notation (3 × 10^9)

1510

Example Calculations

Large Number

Input: 65,000

Engineering: 65.0 k

Scientific: 6.50 × 10^4

Small Number

Input: 0.000073

Engineering: 73.0 μ

Scientific: 7.30 × 10^-5

How Engineering Notation Works

SI Prefix Reference

10^24YYotta
10^21ZZetta
10^18EExa
10^15PPeta
10^12TTera
10^9GGiga
10^6MMega
10^3kkilo
10^0none
10^-3mmilli
10^-6μmicro
10^-9nnano
10^-12ppico
10^-15ffemto
10^-18aatto
10^-21zzepto
10^-24yyocto

Quick Conversions

Input Formats

Decimal

1000, 0.001, 123.456

Scientific (e notation)

1.5e-6, 3E+9, 2.5e12

Mathematical

3 × 10^9, 1.5 * 10^-6

Understanding Engineering Notation

What is Engineering Notation?

Engineering notation is a version of scientific notation where the exponent of 10 is always a multiple of three (3, 6, 9, 12, etc.). This aligns with the SI (metric) prefix system, making it easier to express measurements with appropriate units.

Why Use Engineering Notation?

  • Aligns with SI prefixes (kilo, mega, milli, micro, etc.)
  • Easier to read and communicate large or small numbers
  • Common in engineering and scientific calculations
  • Reduces errors in calculations and measurements

Common Applications

Electronics

Resistor values (4.7 kΩ), capacitor values (100 μF), frequencies (2.4 GHz)

Measurements

Distances (5.2 km), masses (250 mg), voltages (12 V), currents (15 mA)

Computing

Storage capacity (1 TB), memory (8 GB), processor speed (3.2 GHz)

Pro Tip: Engineering notation makes it easy to perform mental calculations by working with prefixes instead of counting zeros.