In Google Sheets there are two easy ways to square numbers or solve any exponent that you want. In this lesson, I am going to show you both methods, and I will show you how to incorporate cell references into your exponent formulas.
Squaring a number means to multiply a number by itself. To square a number is the same as raising it to an exponent of two. But with the formulas that I am going to show you below, you can raise numbers to any exponent that you want, such as cubing a number which means raising it to the third power.
To square a number in Google Sheets, follow these steps:
- Type an equal sign in the cell where you want your formula
- Type a number, or type the address of the cell that contains the number that you want to square
- Type a caret (^)
- Type the number “2”
- Press “Enter” on the keyboard. Your final formula will look like this: =7^2 (Or like this for cell references =A1^2)
- Alternatively you can use the POWER function to square numbers, like this: =POWER(7,2)
After following the steps above, the formula will display the result of the exponent calculation.
Let’s say that you want to square the number 5 in your spreadsheet. Enter the number 5 in cell A1, then in cell B1 enter the formula =A1^2. Cell B1 will display the number 25, since 5 squared is 25 (5*5= 25).
Click here if you want to learn how to square root in Google Sheets.
Using the POW or POWER function to square and solve exponents
In our first example let’s go over how to use the POW and POWER functions to square numbers / calculate exponents in Google Sheets. The POW and POWER functions do the exact same thing, and are set up in the exact same way.
With the POW / POWER functions, first you specify the “base” (the number to square), then type a comma and specify the exponent as shown in the example below. To square a number, the exponent is “2”.
To square a number with a function in Google Sheets, follow these steps:
- Type =POWER( to begin the formula in the cell where you want your formula
- Type a number, or type the address of the cell that contains the number that you want to square
- Type a comma, and then type the number “2”
- Press “Enter” on the keyboard. You final formula will look like this: =POWER(A1,2)
After following the steps above, the cell with the POWER function will display the result of the exponent calculation.
=POWER(A1,2)
As you can see in the image above, cell A1 contains the number 7, and the POWER function in cell B1 is squaring the number in cell A1, resulting in the number 49 being displayed.
The Google Sheets POW / POWER function description:
Below are the official syntax and summary for the POW and POWER functions.
Syntax:
POW(4, 0.5)POWER(4, 0.5)
Formula summary: “Returns a number raised to a power.”
Using the caret operator (^) to square and solve exponents
Using the caret is the way that I prefer to square numbers and solve exponents in the spreadsheet, because I like using operators instead of functions to do math, which is very common among spreadsheet users.
Click here to learn how to do the different types of math in Google Sheets.
The caret in a spreadsheet formula expresses that we are raising a number to a specified power / exponent. (Base ^ Exponent)
So the formula below tells Google Sheets to raise cell A1 to the second power, or in other words to square the number that is in cell A1.
In this example we are going to square the number 7. The number 7 is entered into cell A1.
=A1^2
As you can see in the image above, cell A1 contains the number 7, and the formula in cell B1 is squaring the number in cell A1, resulting in the number 49.
Squaring numbers
If you want you can enter the numbers that you want to square directly into the formula, as shown in the formula / image below. This is a good way to solve a calculation quickly in a simple way.
To square a number, type an equals sign, type the number that you want to square, type a caret (^), type the number “2”, then press enter on the keyboard.
In this example we are going to square the number 10 by entering numbers directly into the formula.
=10^2
As you can see in the image above, cell A1 displays the number “100”, which is 10 squared (10*10=100).
Squaring by using cell references
If you want you can use cell references when squaring numbers or solving exponents in a spreadsheet. This works for both the caret (^) method as well as the POW / POWER function method.
You can use cell references for the “Base”, or the “Exponent”, or both. In this example we are going to use cell references for both the base and the exponent.
This allows you to simply modify the values in the cells to change the criteria in the formula, without having to enter numbers directly into the formula each time the criteria changes.
In this example we want to square the number 10. The number 10 (the base) is entered into cell A2, and the number two (the exponent) is entered into cell B2.
=A2^B2
As you can see in the image above, cell C2 displays the number “100”, which is 10 squared (10*10=100).
How to cube numbers and solve any exponent
So far we have gone over examples that use the exponent “2” to square numbers, but you can use any exponent that you want in your formulas.
For example, the cube of 3 is 27 (3 x 3 x 3 = 27).
To cube a number in Google Sheets, type an equals sign, type the number that you want to cube, type a caret (^), type the number “3”, then press enter on the keyboard.
Here is a basic example of a cube formula in Google Sheets: =3^3
To calculate exponents in Google Sheets, follow these steps:
- Type an equal sign in the cell where you want your formula
- Type a number, or type the address of the cell that contains the number that you want to raise to a power
- Type a caret (^)
- Type the number that represents the exponent that you want to use (2 = squared, 3 = cubed, etc.)
- Press “Enter” on the keyboard. Your final formula will look like this: =2^4 (Or like this for cell references =A1^4)
- Alternatively you can use the POWER function to square numbers, like this: =POWER(2,4)
In this example we are going to raise the number 4 to the 3rd power, or in other words we are going to “cube” the number 4. The number 4 is entered into cell A2 (Base), and the number 3 is entered into cell B2 (Exponent).
=A2^B2
As you can see in the image above, cell C2 displays the number “64”, since 4 to the 3rd power is 64 (4 x 4 x 4 = 64).
Now you know how to square numbers in Google Sheets, and you also know how to solve any calculation / problem with exponents that you want!
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