The power of an exponent in math indicates how many times a number (the base) is multiplied by itself.
Understanding Exponents
An exponent, also known as a power, provides a concise way to express repeated multiplication. Instead of writing out a number multiplied by itself multiple times, we use an exponent.
Explanation with Example
According to the provided reference, the exponent of a number shows how many times the number is multiplied by itself. For instance, 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 can be written as 24. Here:
- 2 is the base.
- 4 is the exponent or power.
This means 2 is multiplied by itself 4 times. Therefore, 24 = 16.
Key Components of Exponential Notation
To fully grasp the concept, it's helpful to visualize the components:
| Component | Description | Example (using 24) |
|---|---|---|
| Base | The number being multiplied by itself. | 2 |
| Exponent/Power | Indicates how many times the base is multiplied by itself. | 4 |
| Exponential Expression | The complete expression including the base and exponent (e.g., 24). | 24 |
Practical Examples
Here are more examples to illustrate the concept:
- 32 = 3 × 3 = 9 (3 to the power of 2, or 3 squared)
- 53 = 5 × 5 × 5 = 125 (5 to the power of 3, or 5 cubed)
- 104 = 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 = 10,000
