Powers are a way of showing how many times a number is being multiplied by itself.
For example:
2 to the power of 3 is written as 2^3 and means 2 multiplied by itself 3 times, or 2 x 2 x 2 = 8 3^2 means 3 multiplied by itself 2 times, or 3 x 3 = 9 Here are some important rules for working with powers:
Multiplying Powers: If you have two powers with the same base, you can multiply them by adding their exponents. For example, 2^3 x 2^2 = 2^(3+2) = 2^5.
Dividing Powers: If you have two powers with the same base, you can divide them by subtracting their exponents. For example, 2^5 / 2^2 = 2^(5-2) = 2^3.
Power of a Power: If you have a power inside of another power, you can simplify by multiplying the exponents. For example, (2^3)^2 = 2^(3 x 2) = 2^6.
Power of 0: Any number raised to the power of 0 is equal to 1. For example, 2^0 = 1.
Power of 1: Any number raised to the power of 1 is equal to itself. For example, 2^1 = 2.