<p>PoW is being used in two different ways here. It is perhaps better to say "chain with the most work" instead of "highest PoW".</p>

<p>The valid chain with the most work is the chain that nodes choose as their main chain. The "most work" is quantified by summing the expected number of hashes required to mine each block in that chain. E.g. a chain which has 2 blocks with block 1 expecting 3 hashes to find and block 2 expecting 5 hashes to find would have a chain work of 8.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-13T04:06:22.473Z
2019-03-13T04:06:22.473Z
Ava Chow
<p>What is meant when the nodes select the chain with the highest cumulated PoW?
How is the highest highest PoW calculated? I thought the concept itself is called PoW.</p>

<blockchain><proof-of-work><consensus>
What is meant with 'the highest PoW'?
hadamard
# What is meant with 'the highest PoW'?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-03-13)

What is meant when the nodes select the chain with the highest cumulated PoW?
How is the highest highest PoW calculated? I thought the concept itself is called PoW.

**Tags:** blockchain, proof-of-work, consensus


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-03-13. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

PoW is being used in two different ways here. It is perhaps better to say "chain with the most work" instead of "highest PoW".

The valid chain with the most work is the chain that nodes choose as their main chain. The "most work" is quantified by summing the expected number of hashes required to mine each block in that chain. E.g. a chain which has 2 blocks with block 1 expecting 3 hashes to find and block 2 expecting 5 hashes to find would have a chain work of 8.


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