Engineering Notation Converter
Convert numbers into notasi engineering (exponents in multiples of 3) with SI prefixes — p, n, μ, m, k, M, G, T — complete with a scientific notation. It also works in reverse: type 4.7k to get 4700.
| # | Input | Engineering | Scientific | Prefix SI |
|---|
Example: 4700 Ω in kilo-ohms → 4.70 k; in mega-ohms → 0.00470 M.
SI Prefix Table
| Prefix | Simbol | Value | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| piko | p | 10⁻¹² | 0.500 p |
| nano | n | 10⁻⁹ | 470 n |
| mikro | μ | 10⁻⁶ | 470 μ |
| mili | m | 10⁻³ | 2.20 m |
| kilo | k | 10³ | 4.70 k |
| mega | M | 10⁶ | 22.0 M |
| giga | G | 10⁹ | 3.30 G |
| tera | T | 10¹² | 1.00 T |
Worked Examples
4.70 kΩ (3 significant figures).470 μF.22.0 MHz.4.7k4.7k = 4.7 × 10³ = 4700. Also works for 470n → 0.00000047 and 3.3MΩ → 3,300,000.Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What is engineering notation?
Engineering notation is a way of writing numbers as a mantissa times 10 raised to a multiple of 3; for example, 4,700 is written 4.70 × 10³. Because the exponent is always a multiple of 3, it aligns directly with SI prefixes (kilo, mega, milli, micro, and so on), making it very popular in electronics and engineering.
What is the difference between engineering notation and scientific notation?
Scientific notation restricts the mantissa to the range 1 to less than 10 (example: 2.20 × 10⁷), while engineering notation restricts the mantissa to the range 1 to less than 1000 with exponents in multiples of 3 (example: 22.0 × 10⁶). Both represent the same value; engineering notation is just easier to match with SI prefixes.
Which SI prefixes does this tool use?
This tool uses the eight most common SI prefixes: pico (p, 10⁻¹²), nano (n, 10⁻⁹), micro (μ, 10⁻⁶), milli (m, 10⁻³), kilo (k, 10³), mega (M, 10⁶), giga (G, 10⁹), and tera (T, 10¹²). Values outside this range are shown in pure engineering notation.
When should you use engineering notation?
Use engineering notation when working with engineering units that use SI prefixes: a 4,700 ohm resistor reads more easily as 4.70 kΩ, a 0.00047 farad capacitor reads more easily as 470 μF, and a 22,000,000 Hz frequency reads more easily as 22.0 MHz. It reduces the risk of miscounting zeros.
How do you read 470 μF?
470 μF is read “four hundred seventy microfarads”, meaning 470 × 10⁻⁶ farads or 0.00047 farads. The letter μ is the micro prefix symbol, meaning one-millionth.
What do significant figures mean in this tool?
Significant figures determine how many meaningful digits are shown on the mantissa. For example, 4,700 with 3 significant figures becomes 4.70 k, while with 5 significant figures it becomes 4.7000 k. Trailing zeros after the decimal point are kept because they indicate measurement precision.
Why is the engineering notation exponent always a multiple of 3?
Because every SI prefix represents a power of 10 that is a multiple of 3: 10³ for kilo, 10⁶ for mega, 10⁻³ for milli, and so on. By forcing multiples of 3, the mantissa always falls in the 1–1000 range and can be directly swapped for a prefix symbol without changing the value.
How does this tool handle zero and negative numbers?
Zero is shown as-is as 0 because it has no order of magnitude. Negative numbers keep the minus sign on the mantissa; for example, −0.0022 becomes −2.20 × 10⁻³ or −2.20 m.
Free tool by NRTechStudio