ELI5-What does the ‘e’ in large calculations mean, and why does it only appear in a calculator and not when one actually solves problems?
In: 0
Just something to add, ‘E’ and ‘e’ can be used close to each other for wildly different things.
The other comments have explained how E is often used in calculators for scientific notation, where it is easier and cheaper to display 1.2E12 than 1.2 x 10^(12) or 1 200 000 000 000.
It is also possible you’ve seen *e*^(x) as a button on the calculator. This is simply a quick function for taking the input number and raising *e* to its exponent; in other words, if you type in ‘5’ and then press the *e*^(x) button you’ll get the result of *e*^(5). *e* in this case is [Euler’s Number](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_(mathematical_constant)) and is used often with continuous interest and a surprising amount of other things, which is why it has a special button.
Latest Answers