Python pow()

Python pow() function usually takes two number arguments and returns their power.

Python pow()

Python pow() function syntax is:

pow(x, y[, z])

• If only two arguments are provided, then x to the power of y is returned. In this case, they can be integers, floats, and complex numbers. The two-argument form pow(x, y) is equivalent to using the power operator: x**y.
• If three arguments are provided, then x to the power y, modulo z is returned. It’s computed more efficiently than using pow(x, y) % z.
• If z is present, x and y must be of integer types, and y must be non-negative.

Let’s look into some pow() function examples.

Python pow() with integers

print(pow(10, 2))
print(pow(-10, 3))
print(pow(10, 2, 3))

Output:

100
-1000
1

Python pow() with floats

print(pow(100, -1))

print(pow(100.0, 2))

Output:

0.01
10000.0

pow() with different format integers

print(pow(0b11, 2))  # 0b11 = 3
print(pow(0b11, 2, 2))

print(pow(0o11, 2))  # 0o11 = 9
print(pow(0o11, 2, 2))

print(pow(0xF, 2))  # 0xF = 15
print(pow(0xF, 2, 2))

Output:

9
1
81
1
225
1

pow() with complex numbers

print(pow(2 + 3j, 2))

Output: (-5+12j)

pow() exception scenarios

1. 
   print(pow(2 + 3j, 2, 3))
   

   Error: ValueError: complex modulo

2. 
   print(pow(100.0, 2, 3))
   

   Error: TypeError: pow() 3rd argument not allowed unless all arguments are integers

3. 
   print(pow(100, -1, 2))
   

   Error: ValueError: pow() 2nd argument cannot be negative when 3rd argument specified

pow() vs math.pow()

Python math module also has a pow() function but the built-in function is more powerful because we can perform modulo operation too after power. Also, we don’t need to import math module for a single functionality.

Reference: Official Documentation