How to Use the pow() Function in Python: Examples and Syntax

The pow() function in Python is a built-in function that allows you to calculate the power of a number. In other words, it raises a given number to a given power. In this article, we will discuss the syntax of the pow() function, how to use it in Python, and provide examples of when to use it.

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Syntax of the pow() Function

The syntax of the pow() function is as follows:

pow(x, y, z=None)

Where:

x: the base value (mandatory argument)

y: the exponent value (mandatory argument)

z: an optional argument representing the modulus value (if present, it should be an integer)

Note that if the z argument is not present, the function returns x to the power of y. If z is present, then the function returns (x ** y) % z.

Examples of How to Use the pow() Function

Example 1: Calculate the power of a number

Suppose you want to calculate 3 raised to the power of 2. You can use the pow() function as follows:

result = pow(3, 2)

print(result) # Output: 9

Example 2: Calculate the power of a number with modulus

Suppose you want to calculate 3 raised to the power of 2, modulo 5. You can use the pow() function as follows:

result = pow(3, 2, 5)

print(result) # Output: 4

In this example, 3 raised to the power of 2 is 9. But since we specified the modulus value as 5, the result is 4 (which is the remainder when 9 is divided by 5).

When to Use the pow() Function

The pow() function can be used in a variety of situations, such as:

• To calculate the power of a number

             # Calculate the power of 2 to the 4th

result = pow(2, 4)

print(result)  # Output: 16

• To calculate the remainder of a power when divided by a specified number

# Calculate the remainder of 2 to the 4th divided by 7

result = pow(2, 4, 7)

print(result)  # Output: 2

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• To perform modular exponentiation

# Calculate 2 to the power of 4 modulo 7

result = pow(2, 4, 7)

print(result)  # Output: 2

Conclusion

The pow() function in Python is a powerful tool that allows you to calculate the power of a number and perform modular exponentiation. With the help of the examples in this article, you should now have a good understanding of how to use this function in your own Python code.

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