Exponent/Power Calculator

What Is an Exponent?

An exponent (or power) is a mathematical operation that multiplies a number (the base) by itself a given number of times (the exponent). It is written as aⁿ where 'a' is the base and 'n' is the exponent.

Properties of Exponents

Product rule: aⁿ × aᵐ = aⁿ⁺ᵐ. Quotient rule: aⁿ / aᵐ = aⁿ⁻ᵐ. Power of a power: (aⁿ)ᵐ = aⁿ×ᵐ. Zero exponent: a⁰ = 1 (for a ≠ 0). Negative exponent: a⁻ⁿ = 1/aⁿ.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens when the exponent is zero?

Any nonzero number raised to the power of zero equals 1. This is a fundamental rule in mathematics. Note that 0⁰ is generally considered undefined or indeterminate.

What does a negative exponent mean?

A negative exponent means the reciprocal of the base raised to the positive exponent. For example, 2⁻³ = 1/2³ = 1/8 = 0.125.