Standard Form Calculator
Write a number in standard form — a × 10ⁿ with a between 1 and 10. Standard form is the UK and Australian name for scientific notation.
Standard form writes any number as a × 10ⁿ where a is at least 1 and less than 10.
How the standard form calculator works
Standard form writes any number as a × 10ⁿ where a is at least 1 and less than 10. 149,600,000 becomes 1.496 × 10⁸; 0.000000123 becomes 1.23 × 10⁻⁷.
The rule that a must sit between 1 and 10 is what makes the form unique — without it, 14.96 × 10⁷ and 0.1496 × 10⁹ would be equally valid ways of writing the same number.
This is the same thing American textbooks call scientific notation; the two names describe an identical convention.
Formula: x = a × 10ⁿ with 1 ≤ |a| < 10
Worked examples
| Inputs | Scientific notation | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 149,600,000 in standard form | 1.496 × 10^8 | 1.496 × 10⁸ |
| A small number | 1.23 × 10^-7 | 1.23 × 10⁻⁷ |
| A number already between 1 and 10 | 5.4 × 10^0 | 5.4 × 10⁰ |
FAQFrequently asked questions
What is standard form?
A number written as a × 10ⁿ, with a at least 1 and less than 10. 149,600,000 is 1.496 × 10⁸.
Is standard form the same as scientific notation?
Yes. Standard form is the British and Australian name; scientific notation is the American one.
Why must the first part be between 1 and 10?
So each number has exactly one standard form. Without the rule, 14.96 × 10⁷ would be equally correct.
How do I write a small number in standard form?
Move the decimal point right until one non-zero digit is in front, and make the exponent negative: 0.00042 is 4.2 × 10⁻⁴.
What is 10⁰?
One — which is why a number already between 1 and 10 is written as itself × 10⁰.
Where these figures come from
- NIST Digital Library of Mathematical Functions — reference definitions for elementary and special functions
- Wolfram MathWorld — definitions and formulas for every topic on this page
- NIST/SEMATECH e-Handbook of Statistical Methods — the statistical formulas (mean, variance, z, confidence intervals, sample size)
- Australian Curriculum (ACARA) — Mathematics — the terms and methods taught in Australian schools
Last checked: September 2026. Formulas are fixed by mathematics and do not change with tax years or regulations.