> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://axiom.co/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

<AgentInstructions>

## Submitting Feedback

If you encounter incorrect, outdated, or confusing documentation on this page, submit feedback:

POST https://axiom.co/docs/feedback

```json
{
  "path": "/apl/scalar-functions/mathematical-functions/pow",
  "feedback": "Description of the issue"
}
```

Only submit feedback when you have something specific and actionable to report.

</AgentInstructions>

# pow

> This page explains how to use the pow function in APL.

Use the `pow` function in APL to raise a base value to a given exponent: base^exponent. The function accepts any real base and exponent.

`pow` is useful whenever you need to apply a power function to a metric, such as squaring deviations for variance calculations, computing exponential growth factors, scaling values by a fractional power, or inverting a power transformation. It's more flexible than `exp`, `exp2`, or `exp10` because you can specify any base.

## For users of other query languages

If you come from other query languages, this section explains how to adjust your existing queries to achieve the same results in APL.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Splunk SPL users">
    In Splunk SPL, `pow(base, exponent)` works identically to APL's `pow`. You can also use the `^` operator for the same purpose.

    <CodeGroup>
      ```sql Splunk example theme={null}
      | eval squared = pow(req_duration_ms, 2)
      ```

      ```kusto APL equivalent theme={null}
      ['sample-http-logs']
      | extend squared = pow(req_duration_ms, 2)
      ```
    </CodeGroup>
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="ANSI SQL users">
    In ANSI SQL, `POWER(base, exponent)` provides the same functionality as APL's `pow`.

    <CodeGroup>
      ```sql SQL example theme={null}
      SELECT POWER(req_duration_ms, 2) AS squared FROM logs
      ```

      ```kusto APL equivalent theme={null}
      ['sample-http-logs']
      | extend squared = pow(req_duration_ms, 2)
      ```
    </CodeGroup>
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Usage

### Syntax

```kusto theme={null}
pow(base, exponent)
```

### Parameters

| Name       | Type | Required | Description                        |
| ---------- | ---- | -------- | ---------------------------------- |
| `base`     | real | Yes      | The base value.                    |
| `exponent` | real | Yes      | The exponent to raise the base to. |

### Returns

`base` raised to the power `exponent`: base^exponent.

## Example

Use `pow` to square the deviation of each request's duration from a 200 ms baseline.

**Query**

```kusto theme={null}
['sample-http-logs']
| extend deviation = req_duration_ms - 200.0
| extend squared_deviation = pow(deviation, 2)
| project _time, id, req_duration_ms, squared_deviation
| order by squared_deviation desc
```

[Run in Playground](https://play.axiom.co/axiom-play-qf1k/query?initForm=%7B%22apl%22%3A%20%22%5B%27sample-http-logs%27%5D%20%7C%20extend%20deviation%20%3D%20req_duration_ms%20-%20200.0%20%7C%20extend%20squared_deviation%20%3D%20pow%28deviation%2C%202%29%20%7C%20project%20_time%2C%20id%2C%20req_duration_ms%2C%20squared_deviation%20%7C%20order%20by%20squared_deviation%20desc%22%7D)

**Output**

| \_time              | id     | req\_duration\_ms | squared\_deviation |
| ------------------- | ------ | ----------------- | ------------------ |
| 2024-11-14 10:00:00 | user-1 | 1200.0            | 1000000.0          |
| 2024-11-14 10:01:00 | user-2 | 80.0              | 14400.0            |
| 2024-11-14 10:02:00 | user-3 | 205.0             | 25.0               |

## List of related functions

* [sqrt](/apl/scalar-functions/mathematical-functions/sqrt): Returns the square root of a value. This is equivalent to `pow(x, 0.5)` and is more readable for the square-root case.
* [exp](/apl/scalar-functions/mathematical-functions/exp): Returns e^x. Use it when the base is e rather than an arbitrary number.
* [exp2](/apl/scalar-functions/mathematical-functions/exp2): Returns 2^x. Use it when the base is always 2.
* [exp10](/apl/scalar-functions/mathematical-functions/exp10): Returns 10^x. Use it when the base is always 10.
* [log](/apl/scalar-functions/mathematical-functions/log): Returns the natural logarithm. Use it to undo a `pow` transformation in log space.