In Excel: use =EXP(number) — it raises the constant e (about 2.71828) to your exponent, so =EXP(1) returns 2.718281828.
Syntax
Arguments
| Argument | Description | |
|---|---|---|
number | required | The exponent to raise e (about 2.71828) to. |
Related functions
Select the result cell and type =EXP(.
Enter the exponent — often a rate multiplied by a number of periods.
Press Enter.
To reverse the operation, apply LN to the result; the two undo each other exactly.
Need it as an auditable file?
Ships inside the linked template — formula-driven, unlocked, audit-ready.
What this does
EXP raises Euler's number e to a power. It is the exact inverse of LN, so =EXP(LN(A2)) returns A2, and that pairing is what makes it useful outside pure maths: continuous growth and decay models, logistic curves and interest compounded continuously are all expressed with EXP. In practice most spreadsheet users meet it when converting a log-scale coefficient back into a real-world multiplier, or when a growth model is specified in continuous rather than periodic terms. Most people learn this as a sequence of clicks and forget it by next week; learning it as a pattern instead is what lets you apply it to the next, slightly different version of the problem without starting from scratch. That is the difference this page is trying to make. The difference between a quick fix and a sheet you can trust is the extra minute you spend validating “excel exp formula”. Start on a copy or a tiny sample, keep the affected formula visible, and compare the result with the tool above before you touch the real workbook. When a formula is involved, keep the inputs labelled beside it, reference cells instead of typing values, and apply number formatting only after the result checks out. The point is a calculation you can defend to a CFO or an auditor, but the practical win is that someone else can open the file and understand what happened without asking you.
A worked example
Continuous compounding of 10,000 at 5 % for 3 years: =10000*EXP(0.05*3) returns about 11,618. Converting a log-model coefficient of 0.182 back into a multiplier, =EXP(0.182) returns roughly 1.20 — a 20 % uplift. Exponential decay of 500 units at 12 % per period over 4 periods: =500*EXP(-0.12*4). EXP is how a continuous-growth model gets expressed in a spreadsheet, and how log-scale results get translated back into figures a reader can act on. A practical tip before you scale it up: build it once on a small block of test data, confirm the number against the tool on this page, and only then point it at your real sheet. That one habit catches almost every mistake while it is still cheap to fix, long before a wrong figure reaches a report or a colleague.
In Google Sheets
Google Sheets handles this almost identically to Excel. The formula syntax above is the same, and the menu lives under a slightly different label rather than a ribbon tab. Use the platform toggle at the top of the page to switch every keyboard shortcut between Windows and Mac, and expect at most cosmetic differences in naming. Keep this page bookmarked for the next time the same question comes up. Better still, rebuild the example once in your own sheet — doing it yourself, with the tool above to check against, is what turns a copied formula into a technique you own. The short version of “excel exp formula”: the answer is at the top of this page, the tool proves it on your own numbers, and the sections above explain why it holds so the next variation does not stump you. Excel rewards people who reference cells instead of typing values and who keep inputs separate from formulas, because that is what makes a result you can audit months later. Build it once, deliberately, with the live tool as a check, and you convert a one-off lookup into a reusable skill — which is the whole point of learning the why and not just the what.
Common mistakes
- Using EXP where ordinary periodic compounding was meant; that is
=principal*(1+rate)^periods, not continuous compounding. - Passing a large exponent, which overflows to
#NUM!— EXP grows extremely fast. - Confusing EXP with the ^ operator; ^ takes any base, EXP is fixed to e.
Frequently asked questions
What is e in Excel?
=EXP(1) returns it: approximately 2.718281828. There is no separate E() constant the way there is PI().
How do I reverse EXP?
Apply LN. =LN(EXP(5)) returns 5 exactly, because the two are inverses.
When would I use EXP rather than ^?
When the model is specified in continuous terms — continuous compounding, exponential decay, or converting a log-scale coefficient back to a multiplier.