Exponent Calculator

Enter a base and an exponent to compute the power. Negative exponents become reciprocals; results that overflow are not shown.

How it works

a^n multiplies a by itself n times when n is a positive integer: 2^8 = 256. A negative exponent is the reciprocal, so 2^−3 = 1/8. A fractional exponent is a root: 9^(1/2) = 3. 0^0 is left undefined.

Negative bases with non-integer exponents are not real in this calculator (the floating-point result would be NaN) and are rejected.

Formula

base^exponent
2^8 = 256
2^−3 = 1/8 = 0.125

Worked examples

A power of two
2^8 → 256
A negative exponent
2^−3 → 0.125

Useful notes

For an nth root without writing 1/n as the exponent, use the root calculator.
Powers that exceed the floating-point range return no result rather than Infinity.

FAQ

How do I calculate a number raised to a power?: Multiply the base by itself as many times as the exponent. 2^8 is 2×2×2×2×2×2×2×2 = 256.
What does a negative exponent mean?: It is one over the positive power. 2^−3 = 1 / 2^3 = 1/8.
Is 0^0 equal to 1?: This tool treats 0^0 as undefined. Some programming languages return 1; that is a convention, not a settled mathematical value.

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