^ and ^= operators
Used to raise a number to the power of an exponent. The compound form ^= raises-and-assigns in one step.
Syntax:
result = number ^ exponent
variable ^= exponent (twinBASIC)
- result
- Any numeric variable.
- variable
- (twinBASIC) Any numeric variable or writable property.
- number, exponent
- Any numeric expressions.
number can be negative only if exponent is an integer value. When more than one exponentiation is performed in a single expression, the ^ operator is evaluated as it is encountered from left to right.
Usually, the data type of result is a Double or a Variant containing a Double. However, if either number or exponent is a Null expression, result is Null.
Compound assignment
x ^= y is the twinBASIC shorthand for x = x ^ y. The left-hand side is evaluated once; the result follows the same type-promotion and Null rules described above. ^= is a statement, not an expression — it does not produce a value.
Dim Value As Double = 2
Value ^= 3 ' Value is now 8.
Value ^= 2 ' Value is now 64.
Example
This example uses the ^ operator to raise a number to the power of an exponent.
Dim MyValue
MyValue = 2 ^ 2 ' Returns 4.
MyValue = 3 ^ 3 ^ 3 ' Returns 19683 (evaluated left-to-right as (3^3)^3).
MyValue = (-5) ^ 3 ' Returns -125.