How to use e (Euler's number) in Excel

Q: How do I undo EXP?

LN is its inverse: =LN(EXP(5)) returns 5.

Q: How do I calculate continuous compound interest?

Use =P*EXP(r*t) with the rate as a decimal, like 0.05 for 5%.

Formula (Excel and Google Sheets)

=$E$1*EXP($E$2*A2)

Excel has no constant e, so use EXP: =EXP(1) is e and =EXP(x) is e to the power x, as in =$E$1*EXP($E$2*A2).

Result on the example: one result per row in B2, filled down to B6
Works in: Every current version
Google Sheets: Same formula

See it work

The formula is already in B2, filled down to B6. Change any input and the result updates, or edit the formula to experiment.

How it works

EXP raises e (about 2.71828) to the power you give it, so EXP($E$2*A2) is e^(0.35 × hours). Multiplying by the starting count in E1 gives the continuous growth model N = N₀e^(rt). The $ signs keep the start and rate fixed as the hours change.

=$E$1*EXP($E$2*A2)

Result500

$E$1500
The value in E1.
$E$20.35
The value in E2.
A20
The value in A2.
$E$2*A20
The * operator multiplies.
EXP($E$2*A2)1
EXP: e raised to a power.
- number$E$2*A20
$E$1*EXP($E$2*A2)500
The * operator multiplies.

In Google Sheets

The same formula works in Google Sheets: =$E$1*EXP($E$2*A2). We ran it in Google Sheets mode on the same data and it returns the same results.

Other ways to do it

Each one was run on the same example sheet.

Formula	Result	When to use it
=$E$1EXP(1)^($E$2A2)	500, 1,007, 2,028…	Raises e itself to the power. Longer, but it shows that EXP(1) is e.

Common mistakes

Typing =e^2 returns #NAME? because Excel reads e as a name. Use =EXP(2).
Typing 2.718 for e is an approximation; over many periods the error grows. EXP uses the full-precision value.

Try it yourself

Same data, empty answer cell. Your formula is graded instantly, then re-checked on changed data, so a typed-in number won't pass.

Use e (Euler's number)

In B2, calculate the bacteria count after the hours in A2 using continuous growth, starting count × e^(rate × hours), then fill down to B6.

Questions

How do I undo EXP?

LN is its inverse: =LN(EXP(5)) returns 5.

How do I calculate continuous compound interest?

Use =P*EXP(r*t) with the rate as a decimal, like 0.05 for 5%.

Checked by running on 2026-10-30: every formula and result on this page was calculated by the Spreadsheet Practice formula engine, in both Excel and Google Sheets modes.