Repeated multiplication if the same factor can be written using an exponent.
The
exponent indicates how many times the factor, called the
base, occurs in the multiplication. The multiplication 2·2·2·2 is in
factored form. The exponential expresion 2
4 is in
exponential form.
31 is read "the first power of three" or just "three" (Usually the exponent 1 is not written)
32 is read "the second power of three" or "three squared"
33 is read "the third power of three" or "three cubed"
34 is read "the fourth power of three"
35 is read "the fifth power of three"
a5 is read "the fifth power of a" |
Any number (except 0) raised to the zero power is equal to 1.
There is a geometric interpretation of the first three natural-number powers.
