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Scientific Notation allows us to deal with very large or very small numbers, at whatever precision we need. When writing on paper, we can easily write the "10" and the raised exponent (as a superscript), and we can also do this when using a word-processing application, but it's not always possible in a plain-text editor - e.g. I'm not sure how to do it in the "Ice In Space" forum editor.
The "E" notation was developed in the 1950s or 1960s, when computer input terminals and punched cards only had the basic ASCII character-set - no Greek symbols, no "WingDings" or emojis, and no superscripts or subscripts, etc. It's still widely used today, because it can be printed or displayed unambiguously on any printer or device screen - and most people with a basic maths education know how to read it.
Try entering a very large or very small number in Excel, and you'll see it expressed using the "E" notation.
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