EXCEL AND SEMANTIC SILENCE: A HISTORICAL-CONCEPTUAL CRITIQUE OF THE POWER FUNCTION IN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION

Abstract

Excel has consolidated itself over decades as the leading spreadsheet tool, and its 365 version is now widely used in educational and professional environments. Its POWER(number, power) function, although mathematically correct, presents a semantic inversion in relation to the didactic convention, which associates “power” with the result of the operation. This terminological choice, seemingly simple, becomes critical due to the historical dominance of Excel, whose wide diffusion directly influences how mathematical knowledge is mediated and understood. The analysis was based on comparative observation of functions in different software, on practical application tests, and on semantic reading of their arguments. The comparison with Google Sheets, which uses POWER(base, exponent) in accordance with school textbooks, shows that this is not a technical limitation but a design choice. This divergence demonstrates that educational software is not neutral, since its semantic choices can either facilitate or hinder learning. In this context, the possibility of customizing functions, such as POWER_TEST(Base, Exponent), shows that it is feasible to align spreadsheets with didactic conventions, enhancing conceptual clarity and strengthening learning when such digital tools are incorporated into teaching. Copilot, within the same Microsoft ecosystem, confirms the correct mathematical definition and reinforces that the divergence does not stem from technical incapacity but from a historical design choice. This choice, once widely disseminated, directly impacts conceptual clarity and the epistemic confidence of learners.

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