How to Use POWER Function in Excel: Syntax and Examples

In Excel, use the POWER function to raise a number to a specific exponent. The syntax is =POWER(number, power), where number is the base and power is the exponent.

Syntax

The POWER function uses two arguments:

• number: The base number you want to raise to a power.
• power: The exponent to which you want to raise the base number.

The formula looks like this: =POWER(number, power).

excel

=POWER(number, power)

Example

This example shows how to calculate 5 raised to the power of 3 using the POWER function.

excel

=POWER(5, 3)

Output

125

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when using POWER include:

• Forgetting to use commas to separate arguments.
• Using negative or non-numeric values without understanding the result.
• Confusing POWER with the caret operator (^), which also raises numbers to powers but is typed differently.

Always ensure your base and exponent are valid numbers.

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=POWER(5 3)  <em>Wrong: missing comma</em>
=POWER(5, "three")  <em>Wrong: non-numeric exponent</em>
=5^3  <em>Right: alternative using caret operator</em>

Quick Reference

Argument	Description	Example
number	Base number to raise	5
power	Exponent to raise the base	3
Formula	Usage pattern	=POWER(5, 3)

Key Takeaways

Use =POWER(number, power) to raise a number to an exponent in Excel.

Both arguments must be numbers; the base is the first, the exponent is the second.

Remember to separate arguments with a comma.

You can also use the caret operator (^) as a shortcut for powers.

Check for non-numeric inputs to avoid errors.