Exponent Calculator
Calculate exponents and powers easily. Compute x raised to the power of n with scientific notation, expanded form, and negative exponents.
Powers of 2
2^0
1
2^1
2
2^2
4
2^3
8
2^4
16
2^5
32
2^6
64
2^7
128
2^8
256
2^9
512
2^10
1024
2^11
2048
2^12
4096
2^13
8192
2^14
16384
2^15
32768
Powers of 10
10^-3
0.001
10^-2
0.01
10^-1
0.1
10^0
1
10^1
10
10^2
100
10^3
1,000
10^4
10,000
10^5
100,000
10^6
1,000,000
10^9
1,000,000,000
10^12
1,000,000,000,000
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Last updated: January 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is an exponent and how does it work?
An exponent (or power) indicates how many times a number (the base) is multiplied by itself. In the expression x^n, x is the base and n is the exponent. For example, 2^3 = 2 × 2 × 2 = 8. The base 2 is multiplied by itself 3 times. Exponents provide a shorthand for writing repeated multiplication, making it easier to work with very large or very small numbers.
How do I calculate negative exponents?
A negative exponent means you take the reciprocal of the base raised to the positive exponent. The formula is: x^(-n) = 1/(x^n). For example, 2^(-3) = 1/(2^3) = 1/8 = 0.125. Negative exponents are commonly used in scientific notation to represent very small numbers, like 10^(-6) = 0.000001 (one millionth).
What is scientific notation and when should I use it?
Scientific notation expresses numbers as a coefficient between 1 and 10 multiplied by a power of 10. For example, 6,500,000 = 6.5 × 10^6 and 0.00042 = 4.2 × 10^(-4). Use scientific notation when working with very large numbers (astronomy, physics) or very small numbers (chemistry, microbiology) to make calculations easier and avoid counting zeros.
What are the main exponent rules I should know?
Key exponent rules: Product rule: x^a × x^b = x^(a+b). Quotient rule: x^a ÷ x^b = x^(a-b). Power rule: (x^a)^b = x^(a×b). Zero exponent: x^0 = 1 (for x ≠ 0). Negative exponent: x^(-n) = 1/x^n. Fractional exponent: x^(1/n) = nth root of x. These rules let you simplify complex expressions and solve equations involving exponents.
Where are exponents used in real life?
Exponents appear everywhere: Compound interest (money growing exponentially), population growth, radioactive decay, computer science (binary powers of 2 like 2^10 = 1024 bytes = 1 KB), earthquake magnitude (Richter scale uses powers of 10), sound intensity (decibels), pH scale in chemistry, and scientific measurements. Understanding exponents is essential for finance, science, engineering, and technology.