Exponent Calculator

Any base, any exponent — including negative and fractional powers.

Negative and fractional exponents both work — try -2, or 0.5 for a square root.

2^10 =
1,024

A negative exponent flips the base into a fraction (x⁻ⁿ = 1/xⁿ); a fractional exponent is the same as taking a root (x^(1/2) = √x).

Frequently asked questions

What does a negative exponent mean?

It flips the base into a fraction: x⁻ⁿ equals 1/xⁿ. So 2⁻³ is the same as 1/2³, which is 1/8.

What does a fractional exponent mean?

It represents a root: x^(1/n) is the same as the nth root of x. So 8^(1/3) is the cube root of 8, which is 2.