Exponent Calculator

Calculate a base number raised to any power - positive, negative, or fractional.

Live

Base

Exponent

Result

1,024

A negative base with a fractional exponent may not have a real result.

The formula

base^exponent = base x base x ... (exponent times), extended to negative and fractional exponents

Example

2^10 = 2x2x2x2x2x2x2x2x2x2 = 1,024. Also: 2^-3 = 1/(2^3) = 0.125, and 4^0.5 = square root of 4 = 2.

Enter the base number.
Enter the exponent - use a negative number for a reciprocal, or a decimal like 0.5 for a root.
Read the result.

Confusing "base times exponent" with "base to the power of exponent" - 2^10 is 1,024, not 2x10=20.

Forgetting that any nonzero number to the power of 0 equals 1, not 0.

What does a negative exponent mean?

A negative exponent means take the reciprocal - x^-n equals 1 divided by x^n. For example, 2^-3 = 1/8 = 0.125.

What does a fractional exponent mean?

A fractional exponent represents a root - x^(1/2) is the square root of x, x^(1/3) is the cube root, and so on.

Why does a negative base with a fractional exponent fail?

Some combinations, like taking the square root of a negative number, don't have a real-number answer - they require complex numbers instead.