{"id":13206,"date":"2021-01-05T16:00:59","date_gmt":"2021-01-06T00:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/careerkarma.com\/blog\/?p=13206"},"modified":"2023-12-01T04:06:31","modified_gmt":"2023-12-01T12:06:31","slug":"python-power","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/careerkarma.com\/blog\/python-power\/","title":{"rendered":"Python Power: A Step-By-Step Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The ** operator and the pow() function calculate the power of a number in Python. The ** operator raises the number on the left to the power of the number on the right. The pow() function raises the first parameter to the power of the second parameter.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Calculating the power of a number is a common mathematical operation. For instance, if you\u2019re creating a program that helps students in a sixth-grade math class revise powers, you would need a power function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Python Power<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In Python programming, the power of a number can be calculated in two ways: using the **<\/em> operator, and using the pow()<\/em> function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This tutorial will discuss how to use both of these techniques to calculate the power of a number. We’ll walk through an example of how to use both the ** operator and the pow() method.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Python Power: ** Operator<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Python **<\/em> operator is used to raise a number in Python to the power of an exponent. In other words, **<\/em> is the power operator in Python.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The **<\/em> operator requires two values to perform a calculation. Here\u2019s the syntax for the **<\/em> operator:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5 ** 2<\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Our program returns the following result: 25<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this expression, 5 is raised 2nd power. Or, in other words, the number 5 is multiplied by itself 3 times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Python ** Operator Example<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s walk through an example to show how the **<\/em> operator can be used in Python. Let\u2019s say we are creating an application that tests sixth grade math students on their knowledge of powers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To do so, we want to present a student with a math problem, then we want to ask them for the answer. Our program will then calculate the answer to the problem and compare it to the answer the user has inserted into the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s an example program which would allow us to test sixth-grade math students on their knowledge of powers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
number = 7\nexponent = 2\n\nstudent_answer = int(input("What is 7 to the power of 2?"))\nanswer = 7 ** 2\n\nif student_answer == answer:\n\tprint("You're correct!")\nelse:\n\tprint("So close! 7 to the power of 2 is", answer)<\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n
When we execute our program and insert the answer 56, we get the following response:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is 7 to the power of 2?\n56\nSo close! 7 to the power of 2 is 49<\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n
As you can see, our program has calculated that our answer was incorrect, and returned a message with the correct answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the first line, we declare a variable called number<\/em> which stores the number we want to raise to a mathematical power. Next, we declare exponent<\/em> which is the exponent number to which we will raise the variable number<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the next line, we use the Python input() method<\/a> to ask the user: What is 7 to the power of 2?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We use Python int() data type<\/a> conversion method to convert the user\u2019s response to an integer. This is necessary because input() returns a string, and we can only use the ** operator with numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then, we calculate the answer to the question using the **<\/em> operator. In this case, we use 7 ** 2<\/em> to calculate 7 to the power of 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We declare an if<\/em> statement that prints out the message “You\u2019re correct!”<\/em> to the console. If a user gets the right answer, and prints out a message with the right answer if a user is incorrect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Power Python: pow() Method<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Python includes a built-in function that can be used to calculate powers: pow()<\/em>. pow() accepts three parameters: a base number, an exponent to which the base is raised, and a modulo operator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The pow()<\/em> method calculates a certain number to the power of another number. First, the method converts its argument to a floating-point number. Then, it computes the power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s the syntax for the Python pow()<\/em> method:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
pow(base, exponent, modulus)<\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n
The pow()<\/em> method accepts three parameters:<\/p>\n\n\n\n