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.

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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: $x>0$ $0^x=0^{x-0}=0^x/0^0$, so $0^0=0^x/0^x=\,?$ Possible answers: $0^0\cdot0^x=1\cdot0^0$, so $0^0=1$ $0^0=0^x/0^x=0/0$, which is undefined PS. I've read the…
Stas
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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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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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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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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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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
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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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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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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: $105^{1/5}\approx "…
Kerim Atasoy
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$x^y = y^x$ for integers $x$ and $y$

We know that $2^4 = 4^2$ and $(-2)^{-4} = (-4)^{-2}$. Is there another pair of integers $x, y$ ($x\neq y$) which satisfies the equality $x^y = y^x$?
Paulo Argolo
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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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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
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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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A new imaginary number? $x^c = -x$

Being young, I don't have much experience with imaginary numbers outside of the basic usages of $i$. As I was sitting in my high school math class doing logs, I had an idea of something that would allow solving for logs with negative bases or with…
Warren L.
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