ScientificForm
ScientificForm[expr]
prints with all real numbers in expr given in scientific notation.
ScientificForm[expr,n]
prints with numbers given to n‐digit precision.
Details and Options
- The following options can be given:
-
DigitBlock Infinity number of digits between breaks ExponentFunction Automatic function to apply to exponents ExponentStep 1 steps by which exponents can increase NumberFormat Automatic function used to assemble mantissa, base, and exponent NumberMultiplier "×" string to use to indicate multiplication NumberPadding {"",""} strings to use for left and right padding NumberPoint "." decimal point string NumberSeparator {",", " "} string to insert at breaks between blocks NumberSigns {"-",""} strings to use for signs of negative and positive numbers SignPadding False whether to insert padding after the sign - You can mix ScientificForm and BaseForm.
- The typeset form of ScientificForm[expr] is interpreted the same as expr when used in input. »
- When an input evaluates to ScientificForm[expr], ScientificForm does not appear in the output. »
Examples
open all close allBasic Examples (2)
Scope (5)
The default display for a machine number:
nE = N[E]Display more digits than the default:
ScientificForm[nE, 10]ScientificForm[nE, 2]ScientificForm[RandomComplex[]]Format a high-precision number:
ScientificForm[N[Pi ^ 5, 20]]ScientificForm[N[Pi ^ 5, 20], 10]Change the display of numbers in a vector:
RandomReal[2000, 5]ScientificForm[%, 4]RandomReal[2000, {3, 3}]ScientificForm[%, 2]Change the display of inexact numbers in a mixed expression:
y = 150.Sin[x / 7.]ScientificForm[y]ScientificForm[y, 4]Options (11)
DigitBlock (2)
ExponentFunction (1)
Compute approximate powers of 
:
p = N[E ^ Range[10, 50, 10]]Restrict exponents to multiples of 3:
ScientificForm[p, ExponentFunction -> (3Quotient[#, 3]&)]Include exponents only for powers greater than 10:
ScientificForm[p, ExponentFunction -> (If[-10 < # < 10, Null, #]&)]ExponentStep (1)
NumberFormat (1)
Display numbers in a Fortran‐like form:
v = {8. ^ 5, 11. ^ 7, 13. ^ 9}ScientificForm[v, NumberFormat -> (Row[{#1, "e", #3}]&)]ScientificForm[v, NumberFormat -> (#1&)]ScientificForm[v, NumberFormat -> (#3&)]NumberMultiplier (1)
NumberPadding (1)
NumberPoint (1)
NumberSeparator (1)
NumberSigns (1)
The default includes negative signs but not positive signs:
ScientificForm[{-1 / 3., 2 / 3.}]Include positive signs as well:
ScientificForm[{-1 / 3., 2 / 3.}, NumberSigns -> {"-", "+"}]ScientificForm[{-1 / 3., 2 / 3.}, NumberSigns -> {"minus ", "plus "}]Properties & Relations (5)
ScientificForm has a single digit to the left of the decimal by default:
ScientificForm[N[E ^ Range[10, 20, 2]], 10]NumberForm and PaddedForm include exponents higher than 5 by default:
NumberForm[N[E ^ Range[10, 20, 2]], 10]PaddedForm[N[E ^ Range[10, 20, 2]], 10]EngineeringForm uses exponents that are multiples of 3:
EngineeringForm[N[E ^ Range[10, 20, 2]], 10]AccountingForm does not have exponents:
AccountingForm[N[E ^ Range[10, 20, 2]], 10]b2 = BaseForm[123.45, 2]Represent the number in base 2:
ScientificForm[b2]Reconstruct the base 10 number:
(2^^1.111011011100110011)2 ^ 6Affect the display of numbers in MatrixForm or TableForm:
m = RandomReal[10 ^ 10, {3, 2}];{MatrixForm[m], ScientificForm[MatrixForm[m], 3]}The typeset form of ScientificForm[expr] is interpreted the same as expr when used in input:
{ScientificForm[123.]}Copy the output and paste it into an input cell. The 1.23×102 is interpreted as 123.:
{123.}When an input evaluates to ScientificForm[expr], ScientificForm does not appear in the output:
ScientificForm[123.]Out is assigned the value 123., not ScientificForm[123.]:
%Possible Issues (2)
Placeholder zeros may be needed if the requested precision is small:
ScientificForm[12345.6, 3, ExponentFunction -> (If[-5 < # < 5, Null, #]&)]
Even when an output omits ScientificForm from the top level, it is not stripped from subexpressions:
e = ScientificForm[123.]The output does not have ScientificForm in it:
%However, the variable e does have ScientificForm in it, which may affect subsequent evaluations:
FullForm[e]The product is not evaluated due to the intervening ScientificForm:
10 * eAssign variables first and then apply ScientificForm to the result to maintain computability:
(f = 123.)//ScientificForm10 * fText
Wolfram Research (1988), ScientificForm, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ScientificForm.html (updated 2003).
CMS
Wolfram Language. 1988. "ScientificForm." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2003. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ScientificForm.html.
APA
Wolfram Language. (1988). ScientificForm. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ScientificForm.html