# Exponentiation operation

Learn how to raise a number to a power.

The exponentiation operation raises a number to a power and returns the result.

To use the exponentiation operator, place a `**` sign between two numeric values:

```cql
/*<operand>*/ ** /*<operand>*/
```

For a more natural reading, you can alternatively write:

```cql
/*<operand>*/ to power of /*<operand>*/
```

Here is a practical example:

```cql
2 ** 3 // 8
```

Note that exponentiation has higher [precedence](/reference/cql/expressions/basics#precedence) than multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction. This means that exponentiation is performed before those operations, as shown below:

```cql
2 + 3 ** 2 // 11, not 25
```

Also, note that exponentiation has different [associativity](/reference/cql/expressions/basics#associativity) than the other arithmetic operations. This means that exponentiation is performed from right to left, as shown below:

```cql
2 ** 3 ** 2 // 512, not 64
```