PHP 'power of' results in parse error

Question

The following code:

5 ** 2

results in this error:

PHP Parse error:  syntax error, unexpected '*'

And I have no idea why. Can anyone help me?

That is not how you square numbers in PHP. Use [`pow()`](http://php.net/pow) instead. `pow(5, 2)`. — Amal Murali, Jun 14 '14 at 17:04
PHP 5.6 (upcoming) [will have an `**` exponentiation operator](http://www.php.net//manual/en/migration56.new-features.php) but for now you have to `pow()`. — Michael Berkowski, Jun 14 '14 at 17:05

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 14 '14 at 17:06

0

Use pow() function. Get returned value of pow(5,2)

answered Jun 14 '14 at 17:06

fntneves

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 14 '14 at 17:06

0

You are doing this:

5 ** 2

When you should be doing this in PHP using the pow() function:

echo pow(5,2);

answered Jun 14 '14 at 17:06

Giacomo1968

2 Answers2