Exponent calculator
Raise any number to any power, with exact results for whole numbers.
About this calculator
This exponent calculator raises a number to a power, such as 2¹⁰ or 1.05³⁰. It handles negative and decimal exponents too.
For whole numbers it gives the exact answer, however many digits it has, plus the scientific notation.
How it works
bⁿ means b multiplied by itself n times. A negative exponent means 1 ÷ bⁿ, and a fractional one is a root: b^(1/2) is the square root of b.
Last reviewed:
Worked example
- Base: 2
- Exponent: 10
2^10: 1,024
Common questions
What is an exponent?
A small raised number that says how many times to multiply the base by itself. 5³ = 5 × 5 × 5 = 125.
What is a number to the power of 0?
1, for any number except 0. 0⁰ is usually taken as 1 too, though it's a special case.
What does a negative exponent mean?
One divided by the positive power. 2⁻³ = 1 ÷ 2³ = 0.125.
The story behind it
Where the idea came from: René Descartes introduced the modern way of writing powers, with a small raised number, in 1637.
Before Descartes, mathematicians wrote powers out in words or with clumsy symbols. His raised numbers made algebra far easier to read. Exponents now describe everything from compound interest to computer memory.
Why you can trust this calculator
- It runs in your browser. Nothing you type into it is sent anywhere.
- The method is explained on this page, so you can check it yourself.
- Free to use, with no sign-up.
- Results are estimates, so please double-check anything important.
- Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we'll look into it.
After 15 years as a mathematics educator, I built CalculStore to give students, teachers, professionals and anyone working with numbers simple, reliable tools.
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