The POWER function raises a number to a specified power.
This is a useful tool for performing mathematical calculations involving exponents.
Syntax
POWER(value, power)
Argument |
Description |
Permitted values |
|---|---|---|
value |
Number that is raised to a power |
Any numerical value or reference to a cell containing a number |
power |
Exponent to which the “value” argument is raised |
Any integer or fractional number or a reference to a cell containing a number |
Examples of use
Squaring
To square the number 5:
=POWER(5, 2)
Result: 25.
Negative exponentiation
To calculate 2 to the power of −3 (which is equal to 1/8):
=POWER(2, -3)
Result: 0.125.
Notes
–To raise the number e to a power, use the special EXP function.
–The function accepts both positive and negative values for the power argument.