How do you use the POWER function to raise a number to a specified power?
FrankMl
Posted by FrankMl
Last Updated: July 17, 2024
POWER function
The POWER function is used in various spreadsheet software (like Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, etc.) to raise a number (the base) to a specified exponent (the power). The syntax for the POWER function is as follows: 
POWER(number, power)
- number: This is the base number that you want to raise. - power: This is the exponent to which you want to raise the base number.
Example:
If you want to calculate \( 2^3 \) (which is 2 raised to the power of 3), you would use the following formula: 
=POWER(2, 3)
This would return 8, since \( 2^3 = 2 \times 2 \times 2 = 8 \). You can also use cell references instead of numbers. For instance, if you have the number 5 in cell A1 and you want to raise it to the power of 4, you would write: 
=POWER(A1, 4)
This will yield 625, since \( 5^4 = 625 \).
Note:
If you are using a programming language or a calculator, the method to calculate power might be slightly different, such as using the exponentiation operator (**) in Python, for example. Always refer to the specific documentation of the software or language you're using for accurate syntax.
Default Image