Decimal exponent symbol

⏨ means “multiply by ten raised to the power that follows.” For example, 1.621⏨5 means 1.621 10⁵, or 162100. This small, lowered 10 is an exponent separator found in historical computing notation, not an extra pair of digits in the number.

Text symbol

What ⏨ means

The number after ⏨ tells you the power of ten. In 1.621⏨5, multiply 1.621 by 100000. The exponent—the number after the symbol—can also be negative: 1.621⏨-5 means 1.621 10⁵, or 0.00001621. The examples use a decimal point.

This is scientific notation: a compact way to write very large or very small numbers using powers of ten. The “lower ten” appeared in early computing, including ALGOL 60, a programming language used to express calculations.

Is ⏨ the same as typing a subscript 10?

No. ⏨ is one character with a specific mathematical job. The sequence ₁₀ consists of two subscript digits; it can label a number's base, as in 101₁₀, meaning 101 in base ten. ⏨ instead introduces an exponent. Replacing it with those digits changes the text, even if it looks similar.

Part of collections

Questions people ask

Why does ⏨ sit so low on the line?

That is intentional: its design is a small, lowered 10. Its exact size and position depend on the font; the low position does not make the following exponent a subscript.