Exponent Calculator
Raise any base to any exponent, including negative and fractional powers.
Try an example
1,024
About this calculator
How This Exponent Calculator Works
Enter a base and an exponent, and the calculator returns the result of raising the base to that power.
What an Exponent Means
A base raised to a positive whole-number exponent means the base multiplied by itself that many times: 2^10 = 2×2×2×2×2×2×2×2×2×2 = 1,024. Beyond positive whole numbers, exponents extend naturally:
- Zero exponent — any nonzero number to the power of 0 equals 1
- Negative exponents — give the reciprocal: 2⁻² = 1/2² = 0.25
- Fractional exponents — correspond to roots: 8^(1/3) is the cube root of 8, which is 2
For extracting roots directly rather than working through a fractional exponent, use the Root Calculator.
Worked example
2 raised to the 10th power is 2 × 2 × 2 ... ten times, which equals 1,024.
Frequently asked questions
What does a negative exponent mean?
It gives the reciprocal: 2^-3 = 1/2^3 = 0.125.
What does a fractional exponent mean?
It corresponds to a root — 8^(1/3) is the cube root of 8, which is 2.
What is any number to the power of 0?
Always 1 (the special case 0^0 is mathematically undefined/context-dependent).
Can the base be negative?
Yes — a negative base raised to an even exponent gives a positive result, and an odd exponent keeps the sign negative.