C pow() Function

The pow() function in C is a standard library function that raises a number to a specified power. It is part of the C standard library (math.h). This function is useful for performing exponentiation.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. pow() Function Syntax
  3. Understanding pow() Function
  4. Examples
    • Raising a Number to a Power
    • Using pow() with User Input
  5. Real-World Use Case
  6. Conclusion

Introduction

The pow() function calculates the value of a number raised to a given power. This function is widely used in mathematical computations, physics simulations, and engineering applications.

pow() Function Syntax

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

#include <math.h>
double pow(double base, double exponent);

Parameters:

  • base: The base value to be raised.
  • exponent: The exponent to which the base is raised.

Returns:

  • The function returns the result of raising the base to the power of exponent.

Understanding pow() Function

The pow() function takes two arguments: the base and the exponent. It returns the value of the base raised to the power of the exponent. This function can handle both positive and negative exponents as well as fractional exponents.

Examples

Raising a Number to a Power

To demonstrate how to use pow() to raise a number to a power, we will write a simple program.

Example

#include <stdio.h>
#include <math.h>

int main() {
    double base = 2.0;
    double exponent = 3.0;

    // Compute the value of base raised to the power of exponent
    double result = pow(base, exponent);

    // Print the result
    printf("%.2f raised to the power of %.2f is: %.2f\n", base, exponent, result);

    return 0;
}

Output:

2.00 raised to the power of 3.00 is: 8.00

Using pow() with User Input

This example shows how to use pow() to raise a user-provided base to a user-provided exponent.

Example

#include <stdio.h>
#include <math.h>

int main() {
    double base, exponent;

    // Get user input for the base and exponent
    printf("Enter the base value: ");
    scanf("%lf", &base);
    printf("Enter the exponent value: ");
    scanf("%lf", &exponent);

    // Compute the value of base raised to the power of exponent
    double result = pow(base, exponent);

    // Print the result
    printf("%.2f raised to the power of %.2f is: %.2f\n", base, exponent, result);

    return 0;
}

Output (example user input base "5.0" and exponent "2.0"):

Enter the base value: 5.0
Enter the exponent value: 2.0
5.00 raised to the power of 2.00 is: 25.00

Real-World Use Case

Calculating Compound Interest

In real-world applications, the pow() function can be used to calculate compound interest, where the formula involves raising a number to the power of the number of periods.

Example: Calculating Compound Interest

#include <stdio.h>
#include <math.h>

int main() {
    double principal, rate, time, amount;

    // Get user input for principal, rate, and time
    printf("Enter the principal amount: ");
    scanf("%lf", &principal);
    printf("Enter the annual interest rate (as a decimal): ");
    scanf("%lf", &rate);
    printf("Enter the time in years: ");
    scanf("%lf", &time);

    // Calculate the amount using the compound interest formula
    amount = principal * pow((1 + rate), time);

    // Print the result
    printf("The amount after %.2f years with an annual interest rate of %.2f is: %.2f\n", time, rate, amount);

    return 0;
}

Output (example user input principal "1000", rate "0.05", time "3"):

Enter the principal amount: 1000
Enter the annual interest rate (as a decimal): 0.05
Enter the time in years: 3
The amount after 3.00 years with an annual interest rate of 0.05 is: 1157.63

Conclusion

The pow() function is essential for performing exponentiation in C. It is useful in various mathematical calculations, particularly in fields like mathematics, physics, and engineering, where raising numbers to powers is a common operation.

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