** is new power operator instead of power() in php

Question

How to use new version of Power operator instead of pow() in new version of php (5.6)? Like:

echo pow(2,3);

Why output of this line is 512 not 64?

2 ** 3 ** 2;

Answer 1

There is a sample ** operator in php 5.6 +

$i = 6;

$i **=2; //output 36

$out = $i ** 3 //output 46656

echo 2 ** 3 ** 2; // 512 (not 64) because this line evaluated right to left  => 2 ** (3 ** 2)
echo -3 ** 2; // -9 (not 9)
echo 1 - 3 ** 2; // -8
echo ~3 ** 2; // -10 (not 16)

** is better than pow(,) .
When you try to write a math algorithm. ** is a Powerful Operator.
there's no functional difference between it and pow.
power operator refrence