Documentation/Calc Functions/POWER

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    Function name:

    POWER

    Category:

    Mathematical

    Summary:

    Raises one number (the base) to the power of another number (the exponent). This mathematical operation is known as exponentiation.

    Syntax:

    POWER(Base; Exponent)

    Returns:

    Returns a real number that is the specified base raised to the power of the given exponent.

    Arguments:

    Base is a real number, or a reference to a cell containing that number, that is the base value.

    Exponent is a real number, or a reference to a cell containing that number, that is the exponent value.

    • If either Base or Exponent is non-numeric, then POWER reports a #VALUE! error.
    • If Base is equal to 0 and Exponent is negative, then POWER reports a #NUM! error.
    • If Base is negative and Exponent is non-integer, then POWER reports a #NUM! error.
    • If both Exponent and Base are 0, then POWER returns 1.

    Additional details:

    • The formula for this function is [math]\displaystyle{ \text{POWER}(a; b)\:=\:a^b }[/math].
    • POWER cannot be used with a negative base and a non-integer exponent. This means, for example, that you cannot use POWER to solve expressions such as [math]\displaystyle{ (-1)^{0.5} }[/math] – this is equivalent to [math]\displaystyle{ \sqrt{-1} }[/math] which has no real solution.
    • Calc's exponentiation operator (^) produces the same result as that obtained from POWER. For example, the formula =2^3 gives the same result as =POWER(2; 3).
    • For more background information about the exponentiation operator, visit Wikipedia’s Exponentiation page.

    Examples:

    Formula Description Returns
    =POWER(5; 3) Here the function raises 5 to the power of 3. This is equal to [math]\displaystyle{ 5\times5\times5 }[/math]. 125
    =POWER(D1; D2) where cells D1 and D2 contain the numbers 5.5 and 3.7 respectively. Here the function raises 5.5 to the power of 3.7. 548.708832614192
    =POWER(2; −3) Here the function raises 2 to the power of -3. The value 2-3 is equal to [math]\displaystyle{ \frac{1}{2^3} }[/math] or [math]\displaystyle{ \frac{1}{8} }[/math]. 0.125
    =POWER(−5; 3) Here the function raises -5 to the power of 3. This is equal to [math]\displaystyle{ -5 \times -5 \times -5 }[/math]. −125
    =POWER(−3; −4) Here the function raises -3 to the power of -4. This is equal to [math]\displaystyle{ \frac{1}{(-3)^4} }[/math] or [math]\displaystyle{ \frac{1}{81} }[/math]. 0.012345679012346

    Related LibreOffice functions:

    EXP

    LN

    LOG

    LOG10

    ODF standard:

    Section 6.16.46, part 2

    Related (or similar) Excel functions:

    POWER