Exponent Calculator
Calculate a base number raised to a power.
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Free to useNo software to install — works in any modern browser.
No signup neededOpen the tool and start straight away.
Runs in your browserNothing you enter is sent to a server.
Works on mobileSame tool on your phone, tablet or desktop.
How it works
- Enter — type or paste your values or text.
- Get the result — it is worked out in your browser.
- Adjust — change the inputs to compare, or copy the result.
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About Exponent Calculator
An exponent says how many times to multiply a number by itself. In 2¹⁰ the base is 2 and the exponent is 10, so the result is 2 × 2 × … ten times = 1,024.
The rules worth remembering
When you multiply powers of the same base, add the exponents: a² × a³ = a⁵. When you divide, subtract them: a⁵ ÷ a² = a³. A power of a power multiplies them: (a²)³ = a⁶. Any non-zero number to the power 0 is 1.
Negative and fractional exponents
A negative exponent means "one divided by": 10⁻² = 1 ÷ 10² = 0.01. A fractional exponent is a root: 9^(1/2) is the square root of 9, which is 3, and 8^(1/3) is the cube root of 8, which is 2.
Where exponents show up
Compound interest grows by a power — an amount multiplied by (1 + rate) once per year for the number of years. Computer storage is built on powers of 2, which is why sizes like 1,024 appear. Scientific notation writes very large or small numbers with powers of 10, such as 3 × 10⁸ for the speed of light in metres per second.
Common mistakes
−2² is −4, because the exponent applies before the minus sign, while (−2)² is 4. And exponents don't spread across addition: (a + b)² is a² + 2ab + b², not a² + b².
For roots specifically, the Square Root Calculator gives the result directly, and the Compound Interest Calculator shows exponents at work with money.
The rules worth remembering
When you multiply powers of the same base, add the exponents: a² × a³ = a⁵. When you divide, subtract them: a⁵ ÷ a² = a³. A power of a power multiplies them: (a²)³ = a⁶. Any non-zero number to the power 0 is 1.
Negative and fractional exponents
A negative exponent means "one divided by": 10⁻² = 1 ÷ 10² = 0.01. A fractional exponent is a root: 9^(1/2) is the square root of 9, which is 3, and 8^(1/3) is the cube root of 8, which is 2.
Where exponents show up
Compound interest grows by a power — an amount multiplied by (1 + rate) once per year for the number of years. Computer storage is built on powers of 2, which is why sizes like 1,024 appear. Scientific notation writes very large or small numbers with powers of 10, such as 3 × 10⁸ for the speed of light in metres per second.
Common mistakes
−2² is −4, because the exponent applies before the minus sign, while (−2)² is 4. And exponents don't spread across addition: (a + b)² is a² + 2ab + b², not a² + b².
For roots specifically, the Square Root Calculator gives the result directly, and the Compound Interest Calculator shows exponents at work with money.
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