Raise a number to a power

Let's say you want to calculate an extremely small tolerance level for a machined part or the vast distance between two galaxies. To raise a number to a power, use the "^" operator or the POWER function.

Example

The example may be easier to understand if you copy it to a blank worksheet.

ShowHow to copy an example

  1. Create a blank workbook or worksheet.
  2. Select the example in the Help topic.

 Note   Do not select the row or column headers.

Selecting an example from Help

Selecting an example from Help
  1. Press CTRL+C.
  2. In the worksheet, select cell A1, and press CTRL+V.
  3. To switch between viewing the results and viewing the formulas that return the results, press CTRL+` (grave accent), or on the Formulas tab, in the Formula Auditing group, click the Show Formulas button.
 
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Formula Description (Result)
=POWER(5,2) Calculates five squared (25)
=5^3 Calculates five cubed (125)

Function details

POWER

 
 
Applies to:
Excel 2003