Exact
65536
2 to the Power of 16
Answer
2 to the power of 16 equals 65536.
Decimal
65536
Formula
2¹⁶ = 65,536
Worked steps
1
Definition
2 raised to the power of 16 means 2 multiplied by itself 16 times. Result: 65536.
2
Calculator method
Type 2, press ^ (or x^y), type 16, press =. Result: 65536.
3
Why it matters in computing
65,536 = 2¹⁶ is the number of values in a 16-bit register. Used in old 16-bit consoles, the original Unicode plane, and many file format limits.
About this value
2^16 = 65536. Powers of 2 are the bedrock of binary computing. 16-bit systems cap at 65,536 distinct values. This is why early consoles had memory and address limits at this size.
Frequently asked questions
What is 2 to the power of 16?
2 to the Power of 16 equals 65536 as an exact value, or 65536 as a decimal. The exact form is what you'd typically write in exam working; the decimal is what your calculator displays.
How do I calculate it on a calculator?
Type 2, press ^ or x^y, type the exponent, press =. The result for 2^16 is 65536.
Why are powers of 2 important?
Binary computing — every bit doubles the address space, every byte holds 256 distinct values (2⁸). Memory sizes, file format limits, and the famous 'Year 2038 problem' all stem from powers of 2.
Negative powers of 2?
2^(-n) = 1/(2^n). So 2^(-3) = 1/8 = 0.125. Used in binary fractions, IEEE 754 floating-point exponent biases, and signal processing.