0.02 in Scientific Notation

0.02 in scientific notation

0.02 = 2 \times 10^{-2}

0.02 in scientific notation is 2 × 10⁻² – the decimal point moves 2 places to the right, so the power of ten is −2.

  • E-notation: 2E-2 (calculators, Excel, programming)
  • Engineering notation: 20 × 10⁻³ (the power is a multiple of 3)
  • Said aloud: two times ten to the power of negative two
  • Significant figures: 1
  • Order of magnitude: \displaystyle 10^{-2}
  • As a fraction: 1/50

Step-by-step solution

The problem

\text{Write } 0.02 \text{ in scientific notation}
1

Find the coefficient

a = 2

Scientific notation is \displaystyle a \times 10^{n} with \displaystyle 1 \le a < 10. Put the decimal point just after the first non-zero digit (2).

2

Count the places the decimal point moves

  1. 0.02
  2. 0.2
  3. 2

From \displaystyle 0.02 to \displaystyle 2 the decimal point moves 2 places to the right.

3

Choose the sign of the exponent

n = -2

The number is less than 1, so the point moved right and the exponent is negative: each place right multiplies by 10, and \displaystyle 10^{-2} divides it back.

4

Write it in scientific notation

0.02 = \textcolor{#0b5c56}{2 \times 10^{-2}}

Check

2 \times 10^{-2} = 2 \div 100 = 0.02 \;\checkmark

Multiply the coefficient by the power of ten (a negative power divides) to get back the number.

The digits 2 at other powers of ten

Only the power changes when the decimal point moves – each place right is one more step of ten.

NumberScientific notationE-notation
0.22 × 10⁻¹2E-1
0.022 × 10⁻²2E-2
0.0022 × 10⁻³2E-3
0.00022 × 10⁻⁴2E-4
0.000022 × 10⁻⁵2E-5
0.0000022 × 10⁻⁶2E-6
0.00000022 × 10⁻⁷2E-7
0.000000022 × 10⁻⁸2E-8
0.0000000022 × 10⁻⁹2E-9

Other numbers × 10⁻²

Try different values

Frequently asked questions

Is 20 × 10⁻³ the same as 2 × 10⁻²?

It has the same value, but it isn’t scientific notation: the number in front must be at least 1 and less than 10, and 20 is not. Move the point one more place and add 1 to the power: 2 × 10⁻².

Any other number – or multiplying, dividing, adding and subtracting in scientific notation – use the Scientific Notation Calculator.