Optimizations for pow() with const non-integer exponent?

Question

I have hot spots in my code where I\'m doing pow() taking up around 10-20% of my execution time.

My input to pow(x,y) is very specific, so

Answer 1

For exponents of 2.4, you could either make a lookup table for all your 2.4 values and lirp or perhaps higher-order function to fill in the in-betweem values if the table wasn't accurate enough (basically a huge log table.)

Or, value squared * value to the 2/5s which could take the initial square value from the first half of the function and then 5th root it. For the 5th root, you could Newton it or do some other fast approximator, though honestly once you get to this point, your probably better off just doing the exp and log functions with the appropriate abbreviated series functions yourself.