We can repeatedly multiply a number by itself. We write this as follows:

$$\begin{array}{rclrc}\blue2^\orange0&&&=&1\\\blue2^\orange1&=&\blue2&=&2\\\blue2^\orange2&=&\blue2 \times \blue2&=&4\\\blue2^\orange3&=&\blue2 \times \blue2 \times \blue2&=&8 \\ \blue2^\orange4&=&\blue2 \times \blue2 \times \blue2 \times \blue2& =&16\end{array}$$

We call $\blue2^\orange3$ a power.

Here, we call $\blue2$ the $\blue{\text{base}}$ of the power. This number is multiplied by itself repeatedly.

We call $\orange3$ the $\orange{\text{exponent}}$. This number indicates how many times the $\blue{\text{base}}$ is multiplied by itself.

Examples

$$\begin{array}{rcl}\blue5^\orange4&=&\blue5 \times \blue5 \times \blue5 \times \blue5 \\ &=& 625 \\ \\ \blue3^\orange2&=&\blue3 \times \blue3 \\ &=& 9\\ \\ \blue{10}^\orange3&=&\blue{10} \times \blue{10} \times \blue{10} \\ &=&1000 \\ \\ (\blue{-4})^\orange4&=&\blue{-4} \times \blue{-4} \times \blue{-4} \times \blue{-4} \\ &=&256\end{array}$$