Exponent Calculator
Raise any base to any power, including negative and fractional exponents, with the result and the working shown. Enter a base and an exponent and read the answer instantly. A free exponent calculator that runs in your browser, with no sign-up.
- Exact, step-by-step answers
- 100% free
- No sign-up, no app
- Instant as you type
- Works offline after first load
How to use it
- 1
Enter the base
Type the number being raised to a power. It can be a whole number, a decimal or a negative value.
- 2
Enter the exponent
Type the power. Negative exponents give a reciprocal, and fractional exponents give a root.
- 3
Read the result
See the answer with a short note on what the exponent did, so the result makes sense.
When it comes in handy
Powers and roots
Compute squares, cubes and higher powers, or take a root by using a fractional exponent like 0.5 for a square root.
Growth and decay
Work out repeated multiplication, such as compound figures, where the exponent is the number of steps.
Homework checks
Confirm a power you worked out by hand, including the negative and fractional cases that are easy to slip on.
Instant, exact & 100% in your browser
The maths runs right here in your browser, with fractions and whole numbers kept exact rather than rounded along the way. Nothing you type is sent to a server, there is no sign-up and no limit, and once the page has loaded it keeps working even with no connection.
Frequently asked questions
- What does a negative exponent mean?
- A negative exponent means the reciprocal of the positive power. So 2⁻² is 1 ÷ 2², which is 1 ÷ 4 = 0.25. The calculator handles this and shows the reciprocal step.
- What does a fractional exponent mean?
- A fractional exponent is a root. Raising a number to 1/2 is the square root, and to 1/3 is the cube root. So 9 to the power 0.5 is 3. A fraction like 2/3 means take the cube root and then square it.
- Can the base be negative?
- Yes for whole-number exponents, where the sign follows the usual rules, so (−2)³ is −8. A negative base with a fractional exponent can have no real value, such as the square root of a negative number, and the calculator flags that rather than guessing.
- Does this work offline and is anything sent to a server?
- The calculation runs entirely in your browser, so nothing you type is sent anywhere, and once the page has loaded it keeps working with no connection. There is no sign-up and no limit on how many calculations you make.
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