Syntax. EXP(number)

Definition. This function returns the basis e raised to the power of a given number.

Argument

Background. Like root extractions and logarithmic calculus, exponentiation belongs to the third level of arithmetic operations. Exponentiation of natural numbers is based on multiplication as multiplication is based on addition. The EXP() function uses the transcendental irrational Euler’s number e to raise a number to a given power. The constant with the value 2.71828182845904 is the base of the natural logarithm.

Euler’s number (named after the Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler) is an irrational and transcendental number; that is, like pi it cannot be a fraction of two natural numbers. Euler’s number plays an important role in differential and integral calculus.

EXP() is the inverse function of LN(), the natural logarithm of number. The formula is:

To calculate powers of other bases, use the exponentiation operator (^). In Excel, the eighth power of 2 (base) is calculated like this:

=2^8 is 256

Examples. The exponential function is most often used for probability calculations (stochastic) in physics to calculate radioactive decay, and in biology to calculate the exponential growth of organisms. A detailed description is outside the scope of this book. You will find more information in specialist literature.

More examples for this function are: