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I'm trying to get output with all of my numbers in scientific notation. Mathematica doesn't seem to use scientific notation until the exponent is 6. These are all machine numbers. I thought I could use NumberForm and put a formula in for ExponentFunction using Log[10,x] to force the exponent.

So I did this:

NumberForm[123456., ExponentFunction -> (Floor[Log[10, 123456.]] &)]

correct answer

However, when I try this and reference the number, as follows, it doesn't work.

NumberForm[123456., ExponentFunction -> (Floor[Log[#]] &)]

incorrect answer

What am I doing wrong?

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    $\begingroup$ For debugging, you could do NumberForm[123456., ExponentFunction -> ((Print[{##}]; Floor[Log[#]]) &)] to see what arguments are fed to the pure function. $\endgroup$
    – Carl Woll
    Commented Apr 13, 2017 at 22:02
  • $\begingroup$ @CarlWoll Thank you for that. Clearly I didn't understand how the pure function worked. I'm still a little confused, but at least I can now use it in this context. $\endgroup$
    – Mitchell Kaplan
    Commented Apr 14, 2017 at 13:04

1 Answer 1

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Use ScientificForm

list = 123.456*10^Range[-6, 6];

ScientificForm[list]

enter image description here

There is also EngineeringForm

EngineeringForm[list]

enter image description here

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    $\begingroup$ Or, if one really wants to use NumberForm: NumberForm[list, ExponentFunction -> (1 Quotient[#, 1] &)] and NumberForm[list, ExponentFunction -> (3 Quotient[#, 3] &)], respectively. $\endgroup$
    – anderstood
    Commented Apr 13, 2017 at 21:59

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