1. What is Power Calculation?

Power calculation (exponentiation) is a mathematical operation that involves raising a base number to the power of an exponent. It represents repeated multiplication of the base number.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the power formula:

Where:

• \( base \) — The number being multiplied
• \( exponent \) — How many times the base is multiplied by itself

Explanation: For example, 2^3 means 2 × 2 × 2 = 8. The calculator can handle both positive and negative exponents, as well as fractional exponents (roots).

3. Importance of Power Calculation

Details: Power calculations are fundamental in mathematics, physics, engineering, finance (compound interest), computer science, and many other fields. They're essential for exponential growth/decay models and scientific notation.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter any real number for base and exponent. For roots, use fractional exponents (e.g., square root = exponent 0.5). Negative exponents calculate reciprocals (e.g., 2^-3 = 1/8).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What happens when the exponent is 0?
A: Any non-zero number raised to the power of 0 equals 1 (e.g., 5^0 = 1).

Q2: How are negative exponents calculated?
A: A negative exponent means "take the reciprocal and make the exponent positive" (e.g., 2^-3 = 1/(2^3) = 1/8).

Q3: What about fractional exponents?
A: Fractional exponents represent roots (e.g., 8^(1/3) = cube root of 8 = 2).

Q4: Can I calculate powers of negative numbers?
A: Yes, but fractional exponents of negative numbers may result in complex numbers which this calculator doesn't handle.

Q5: What's the largest/smallest number I can calculate?
A: The calculator is limited by PHP's floating-point number range (approximately ±1.8e308 with 14-15 digit precision).