Mathematics Stack Exchange
Mathematics Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [exponentiation]

Questions about exponentiation, the operation of raising a base $b$ to an exponent $a$ to give $b^a$.

Exponentiation is a mathematical operation which produces a power $a^n$ from a base $a$ and an exponent $n$. The objects involved are usually numbers, but the procedure can be generalized to matrices, elements in algebraic structures, sets, etc.

4427 questions
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Zero to the zero power – is $0^0=1$?

Could someone provide me with a good explanation of why $0^0=1$? My train of thought: $$x>0\\ 0^x=0^{x-0}=\frac{0^x}{0^0}$$ so $$0^0=\frac{0^x}{0^x}=\,?$$ Possible answers: $0^0\cdot0^x=1\cdot0^0$, so $0^0=1$ $0^0=\frac{0^x}{0^x}=\frac00$, which is…
Stas
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229
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10 answers

What does $2^x$ really mean when $x$ is not an integer?

We all know that $2^5$ means $2\times 2\times 2\times 2\times 2 = 32$, but what does $2^\pi$ mean? How is it possible to calculate that without using a calculator? I am really curious about this, so please let me know what you think.
David G
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Is $2048$ the highest power of $2$ with all even digits (base ten)?

I have a friend who turned $32$ recently. She has an obsessive compulsive disdain for odd numbers, so I pointed out that being $32$ was pretty good since not only is it even, it also has no odd factors. That made me realize that $64$ would be an…
Brian Rothstein
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181
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17 answers

Alternative notation for exponents, logs and roots?

If we have $$ x^y = z $$ then we know that $$ \sqrt[y]{z} = x $$ and $$ \log_x{z} = y .$$ As a visually-oriented person I have often been dismayed that the symbols for these three operators look nothing like one another, even though they all…
friedo
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166
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5 answers

Can you raise a number to an irrational exponent?

The way that I was taught it in 8th grade algebra, a number raised to a fractional exponent, i.e. $a^\frac x y$ is equivalent to the denominatorth root of the number raised to the numerator, i.e. $\sqrt[y]{a^x}$. So what happens when you raise a…
tel
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140
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12 answers

Modular exponentiation by hand ($a^b\bmod c$)

How do I efficiently compute $a^b\bmod c$: When $b$ is huge, for instance $5^{844325}\bmod 21$? When $b$ is less than $c$ but it would still be a lot of work to multiply $a$ by itself $b$ times, for instance $5^{69}\bmod 101$? When $(a,c)\ne1$, for…
user7530
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108
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15 answers

Comparing $\pi^e$ and $e^\pi$ without calculating them

How can I compare (without calculator or similar device) the values of $\pi^e$ and $e^\pi$ ?
Mirzodaler
  • 1,337
100
votes
15 answers

math fallacy problem: $-1= (-1)^3 = (-1)^{6/2} = \sqrt{(-1)^6}= 1$?

I know there is something wrong with this but I don't know where. It's some kind of a math fallacy and it is driving me crazy. Here it is: $$-1= (-1)^3 = (-1)^{6/2} = \sqrt{(-1)^6}= 1?$$
newcomer
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5 answers

Root Calculation by Hand

Is it possible to calculate and find the solution of $ \; \large{105^{1/5}} \; $ without using a calculator? Could someone show me how to do that, please? Well, when I use a Casio scientific calculator, I get this answer: $105^{1/5}\approx "…
Kerim Atasoy
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90
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7 answers

Prove that $i^i$ is a real number

According to WolframAlpha, $i^i=e^{-\pi/2}$ but I don't know how I can prove it.
Isaac
  • 1,139
88
votes
4 answers

Fastest way to check if $x^y > y^x$?

What is the fastest way to check if $x^y > y^x$ if I were writing a computer program to do that? The issue is that $x$ and $y$ can be very large.
learner
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87
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3 answers

Complexity class of comparison of power towers

Consider the following decision problem: given two lists of positive integers $a_1, a_2, \dots, a_n$ and $b_1, b_2, \dots, b_m$ the task is to decide if $a_1^{a_2^{\cdot^{\cdot^{\cdot^{a_n}}}}} < b_1^{b_2^{\cdot^{\cdot^{\cdot^{b_m}}}}}$. Is this…
Vladimir Reshetnikov
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81
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4 answers

Are these solutions of $2 = x^{x^{x^{\:\cdot^{\:\cdot^{\:\cdot}}}}}$ correct?

Find $x$ in $$ \Large 2 = x^{x^{x^{\:\cdot^{\:\cdot^{\:\cdot}}}}}$$ A trick to solve this is to see that $$\large 2 = x^{x^{x^{\:\cdot^{\:\cdot^{\:\cdot}}}}} \quad\implies\quad 2 = x^{\Big(x^{x^{x^{\:\cdot^{\:\cdot^{\:\cdot}}}}}\Big)} =…
GarouDan
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81
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6 answers

How do you compute negative numbers to fractional powers?

My teachers have gone over rules for dealing with fractional exponents. I was just wondering how someone would compute say: $$(-5)^{2/3}$$ I have tried a couple ways to simplify this and I am not sure if the number stays negative or turns into a…
Kot
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8 answers

Finding $\int x^xdx$

I'm trying to find $\int x^x \, dx$, but the only thing I know how to do is this: Let $u=x^x$. $$\begin{align} \int x^x \, dx&=\int u \, du\\[6pt] &=\frac{u^2}{2}\\[6pt] &=\dfrac{\left(x^x\right)^2}{2}\\[6pt] &=\frac{x^{2x}}{2} \end{align}$$ But…
Garmen1778
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