Exponents are an easier way of writing multiplication
of the same thing.
For example: 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 would be written as 56 and read "5 to the 6th power."
CAUTION: 56 does not
mean 5*6. The exponent tells how many times the base is multiplied
by itself.
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The 3's on the left are called
factors.
The 3 on the right is called the base. The 5 is called the exponent (or power). |
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| The left side is written in expanded notation. | The right side is written in exponential notation. |
| Practice problems |