POJ 1001: Exponentiation

Introduction

In the world of computer programming, we often encounter situations where we need to calculate the result of raising a number to a certain power. This operation, known as exponentiation, is a fundamental mathematical concept that has numerous applications in various fields such as physics, engineering, and computer science.

In this article, we will explore the problem statement of POJ 1001 and discuss an efficient solution in Java. We will also cover the underlying mathematics behind exponentiation and how it can be implemented in code.

Problem Statement

POJ 1001 is a classic problem that involves exponentiation. The problem statement is as follows:

Given a positive real number x and a positive integer n, calculate the result of raising x to the power of n. The result should be accurate up to two decimal places.

Solution

To solve this problem efficiently, we can make use of the Math.pow() method provided by the Java standard library. This method takes two arguments: the base and the exponent, and returns the result of raising the base to the power of the exponent.

Here's an example implementation in Java:

import java.util.Scanner;

public class Exponentiation {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);
        double x = scanner.nextDouble();
        int n = scanner.nextInt();
        
        double result = Math.pow(x, n);
        System.out.format("%.2f%n", result);
    }
}

In the above code, we first read the input values x and n from the user using the Scanner class. We then calculate the result by calling Math.pow(x, n) and store it in the result variable. Finally, we print the result with two decimal places using the System.out.format() method.

Underlying Mathematics

Exponentiation is a mathematical operation that involves multiplying a number (the base) by itself a certain number of times (the exponent). For example, the expression 2^3 can be calculated as 2 * 2 * 2, which equals 8.

In general, the formula for exponentiation can be written as:

x^n = x * x * x * ... * x (n times)

where x is the base and n is the exponent.

Conclusion

Exponentiation is a fundamental mathematical operation that is widely used in computer programming. In this article, we discussed the problem statement of POJ 1001, which involves calculating the result of raising a number to a certain power.

We also provided a solution to the problem using the Math.pow() method in Java. This method simplifies the task of exponentiation by providing a built-in function to calculate the result.

By understanding the underlying mathematics behind exponentiation, we can effectively solve problems that involve this operation and gain a deeper appreciation for its applications in various fields.