Why is 0^0 shown as 1 instead of an error?

0^0 is mathematically indeterminate — different fields define it differently — but the near-universal practical convention in combinatorics and power series is to treat it as 1, which this tool follows.

What if my base is negative and the exponent isn't a clean fraction?

An even-denominator root of a negative number (like a square root) has no real result — the tool shows this plainly rather than a confusing NaN.

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Math & Everyday

Exponent Calculator

x^y for any real base and exponent, including negative and fractional powers.

🔒 Runs entirely in your browser — nothing here is ever uploaded

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About the Exponent Calculator

Computes x raised to the power y for any real base and exponent, including negative and fractional exponents, handling the edge cases JavaScript's own Math.pow gets wrong.

100% Free Runs in Your Browser No Sign-Up Required

How to use it

Enter a base and an exponent.
Read the result — very large or very small results switch to scientific notation automatically.

Formula

x^y, with two special cases handled explicitly: 0^0 is treated as 1 by the common convention (used in combinatorics and power series), and a negative base with an odd-denominator fractional exponent (like (-8)^(1/3)) computes the real result instead of JavaScript's native NaN.

Worked example

2^10 = 1024. 4^0.5 = 2 (a square root). (-8)^(1/3) = -2, a real cube root, not NaN.

Interpreting your result

A negative base with an even-denominator fractional exponent (like (-4)^(1/2)) has no real result — this tool shows that plainly rather than a raw NaN.

Recommendations

• 0^0 is mathematically indeterminate, but this tool follows the common convention of showing it as 1.
• Enter a fractional exponent as a precise decimal (e.g. 0.333333 for 1/3) if you're computing an odd root of a negative number — a loosely rounded fraction may not be recognized as an odd-denominator case.

Frequently asked questions

JavaScript's built-in Math.pow doesn't handle negative bases with fractional exponents at all, even when a real result exists (like a cube root). This tool detects that case and computes the correct real answer.