// compute mantissa if number were written in scientific notatation int exponent = (int)(math.floor( Math.log10( value ))) + 1; double mantissa = value * Math.pow( 10.0, -exponent ); // e.g. 12345.0 -> 0.12345E06 -> exponent 6, mantissa 0.123454. // regular (int) rounds toward 0.