How this calculator works
An increase of one in the exponent doubles the value; a decrease of one halves it. Negative powers are reciprocals, and fractional powers lie between the integer powers in the table. The inverse calculation uses the base-two logarithm. This is useful for comparing binary capacities or repeated doubling, without assigning byte units to the result.
Formula
y = 2^x; x = log2(y), with y > 0. 2^(x + 1) = 2 × 2^x.
Worked example
2^10 = 1024. Conversely, 0.125 = 1/8 = 2^(-3), so its base-two logarithm is -3.
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Frequently asked questions
Can the exponent be a decimal?
Yes. For example, 2^0.5 is the square root of 2. The table still uses integer exponents to show reference points.
Can a power be zero or negative?
A finite real exponent and a positive base always give a positive value. Zero and negative targets are rejected in reverse mode.
Why might the table have fewer than five rows?
Powers beyond the finite numeric range, including values that underflow to zero, are omitted. The main result must itself remain representable.