Scientific Notation

[Dustan]

How can I get a number into scientific notation? I have a preference
for the format '1 E 50' (as an example), but if it's well known, it
works.

 

[Alex Martelli]

How can I get a number into scientific notation? I have a preference
for the format '1 E 50' (as an example), but if it's well known, it
works.

You mean something like:
1.000000e+50

....?


Alex

 

[Dustan]

No, I mean given a big number, such as
1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000, convert it into
scientific notation.

 

[Roy Smith]

1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

1.000000e+51

 

[Jorge Godoy]

No, I mean given a big number, such as
1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000, convert it into
scientific notation.

It's the same.
1.000000e+51

 

[Alex Martelli]

1.000000e+51

Exactly: the "%e" builds a ``scientific-notation" string from whatever
number you're formatting that way (big or small). You can also use %g
if what you want is fixed-point notation within a certain range and
scientific notations only for numbers OUTSIDE that range, as in:
1e+50


Alex

 

[Fredrik Lundh]

You mean something like:

It's the same.

1.000000e+51

one would have assumed that someone who *prefers* to use scientific notation
for large numbers would in fact know that, but the usenet never ceases to sur-
prise me...

</F>

 

[Dustan]

Thanks for your help, Alex, Roy and Jorge. I'm new to Python, and
programming in general, which might explain my lack of knowledge,
Fredrick.