CalcArcade.

Exponent Calculator

Enter a base and an exponent. You get the base raised to that power, written out in full when it is a reasonable size and in scientific notation when it is very large or very small.

Your numbers

Result

How we calculate it

A positive whole exponent means repeated multiplication: 2^10 = 2 × 2 × … × 2 (ten times) = 1,024. A negative exponent means a reciprocal: 2^−3 = 1 ÷ 2^3 = 0.125. A fractional exponent means a root: 9^0.5 = the square root of 9 = 3.

Any non-zero number to the power 0 is 1. Very large and very small results are shown as a number times a power of 10, so 10^15 appears as 1 × 10^15.

Assumptions and limits

  • Zero cannot be raised to a negative power, because that means dividing by zero.
  • A negative base works with a whole exponent, but a fractional exponent of a negative base has no real answer here.
  • Results that are too large for a standard number are rejected.

Frequently asked questions

What does a negative exponent mean?

It means one divided by the base raised to the positive exponent. For example 5^−2 is 1 ÷ 25 = 0.04.

What is a number to the power of 0?

Any non-zero number to the power 0 is 1. The case 0^0 is usually defined as 1 as well, which this calculator uses.

How do I calculate a root with an exponent?

The n-th root of a number is that number raised to the power 1 ÷ n. The cube root of 27 is 27^(1/3) = 3. The square root calculator also gives an exact simplified form.

Related calculators

Worked example (a fixed example using the starting numbers, it does not change as you type)

Inputs: Base = 2; Exponent = 10.

  • Result 1,024
  • Scientific notation 1.024 × 10^3

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Last reviewed: . Formulas and assumptions are described on our methodology page. For information only; not professional advice.