Exponent Calculator — Calculate Powers and Exponents
Reviewed
ResultUpdates as you type
Result (x^y)256
Squared (x^2)4
Cubed (x^3)8
Square Root (√x)1.414214
Reciprocal (x^-y)0.00390625
Calculate exponents, powers, squares, cubes, square roots, and scientific notation with free online exponent calculator.
Calculate any base raised to an exponent, plus square, cube, square root, and negative power results.
Understanding Exponents and Powers
Exponentiation is a mathematical operation involving two numbers: the base (x) and the exponent (y). It is written as x^y. When y is a positive integer, exponentiation corresponds to repeated multiplication of the base.
Key Rules of Exponents
Zero Exponent: x^0 = 1 (for x ≠ 0)
Negative Exponent: x^(-y) = 1 / (x^y)
Fractional Exponent: x^(1/y) = ʸ√x
Product Rule: x^a · x^b = x^(a+b)
Quotient Rule: x^a / x^b = x^(a-b)
How to use
Enter the base number (x).
Enter the exponent or power (y).
View the result x^y along with x^2, x^3, √x, and x^-y.
Formula
Exponent Rulex^y = x × x × ... × x (y times)Base x multiplied by itself y times.
Negative Exponentx^(-y) = 1 / (x^y)Negative exponents represent division by the power.
Worked examples
Calculating Powers
To calculate 2^8: 2 multiplied by itself 8 times equals 256.
Frequently asked questions
What is an exponent?
An exponent specifies how many times a base number should be multiplied by itself.
What happens when an exponent is zero?
Any non-zero base raised to the power of zero equals 1 (x^0 = 1).