Power
How to solve the power (exponent) of a number: formula, 3 examples, and their solutions.
Formula
am means multiply a m times.
[a] is the base.
[m] is the exponent.
How to read am:
a to the m
a to the mth
a to the power of m
a to the power of mth
a raised to the mth power
Example32
The exponent of 32 is 2.
If the exponent of a power is 2, it has a special name: square.
So 32 is read as [3 squared].
32 means
multiply 3 2 times.
So 32 = 3⋅3.
3⋅3 = 9.
So 9 is the answer.
Example23
The exponent of 23 is 3.
If the exponent of a power is 3, it also has a special name: cube.
So 23 is read as [2 cubed].
23 means
multiply 2 3 times.
So 23 = 2⋅2⋅2.
2⋅2⋅2
= 4⋅2
= 8.
So 8 is the answer.
Example(-2)4
(-2)4 means
multiply (-2) 4 times.
So (-2)4 = (-2)⋅(-2)⋅(-2)⋅(-2).
(-2)⋅(-2) = +4
Multiply Negative Numbers
So (-2)⋅(-2)⋅(-2)⋅(-2)
= (+4)⋅(+4)
= 16.
So 16 is the answer.