Calculate the result of a number raised to a specific power.
Result: N/A
Understanding Powers and Exponents
The power calculator is a fundamental tool in mathematics and science, used to compute the result of raising a number (the base) to a specific exponent (the power). Mathematically, this is represented as baseexponent.
For example, 53 means multiplying the base (5) by itself, the number of times indicated by the exponent (3). So, 53 = 5 × 5 × 5 = 125.
Key Concepts:
Base: The number being multiplied by itself.
Exponent: The number that indicates how many times the base is to be multiplied by itself.
Negative Exponent: Indicates the reciprocal of the base raised to the positive exponent (e.g., 3-2 = 1 / 32 = 1 / 9).
Zero Exponent: Any non-zero number raised to the power of zero is 1 (e.g., 70 = 1). An exception is 00, which is typically considered indeterminate or 1 depending on the context.
Fractional Exponent: Represents roots (e.g., x1/n = n√x, the nth root of x). For example, 161/2 = √16 = 4.
This calculator handles integer bases and exponents (both positive, negative, and zero) to provide quick and accurate results for common mathematical operations.
Use Cases
The power calculation is ubiquitous across various fields:
Mathematics: Solving equations, simplifying expressions, and understanding exponential growth/decay.
Finance: Calculating compound interest over time (though often handled by dedicated compound interest formulas, the underlying principle involves powers).
Physics and Engineering: Formulas involving energy, force, and rates of change often utilize exponents.
Statistics: Probability calculations and data analysis.
function calculatePower() {
var baseInput = document.getElementById("baseNumber");
var exponentInput = document.getElementById("exponent");
var resultDisplay = document.getElementById("result").getElementsByTagName("span")[0];
var base = parseFloat(baseInput.value);
var exponent = parseFloat(exponentInput.value);
if (isNaN(base) || isNaN(exponent)) {
resultDisplay.textContent = "Invalid Input";
return;
}
var result = Math.pow(base, exponent);
if (isNaN(result)) {
resultDisplay.textContent = "Error (e.g., 0^negative)";
} else {
resultDisplay.textContent = result;
}
}