How to Square a Number in JavaScript

John on June 04, 2021

To square a number in JavaScript use the Math.pow() function – this function takes two arguments, the first is the number to exponentiate and the second is the power to raise it by. To square a number we will use 2 as the second argument.

To demonstrate this, let's square 3, the formula of which is 3^2 = 9.

var result = Math.pow(3,2);

console.log(result);

9

Square Numbers with the JavaScript Exponentiation Operator

In ECMAScript 6 JavaScript introduced the exponentiation operator which is ** (two asterisks.) This will allow you to raise numbers to a power with a clear and simple syntax.

var result = 3 ** 2;

console.log(result);

9

JavaScript Square Function

If you need to square multiple numbers within your program it might be worth creating a function that you can pass any number and get it back squared.

function squareNum(number) {
  return number ** 2;
}

var result = squareNum(3);

console.log(result);

9