Exponent

How it is used

Common in algebra and science: 'the laws of exponents', 'a negative exponent', 'a fractional exponent'. 'Power' and, in British schools, 'index' (plural 'indices') are often used with the same meaning.

Example sentences

1. When you multiply powers with the same base, add the exponents.

2. A negative exponent means one over the power, so 2⁻³ is one eighth.

Common collocations

• laws of exponents
• negative exponent
• fractional exponent
• base and exponent

Related terms

• to the power ofRaised to a given exponent; used to read powers aloud, so 2⁵ is 'two to the power of five', which means 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 = 32.
• squaredMultiplied by itself; used to read a power of 2 aloud, so x² is 'x squared' and 5² = 25 is 'five squared is twenty-five'.
• cubedMultiplied by itself three times; used to read a power of 3 aloud, so x³ is 'x cubed' and 2³ = 8 is 'two cubed is eight'.
• square rootA number that gives a particular value when it is multiplied by itself; the square root of 49 is 7, because 7 × 7 = 49.

More terms: Numbers and Operations

• sum
• difference
• product
• quotient
• fraction
• integer
• prime number
• multiply
• divide
• percentage
• negative number
• numerator