EXPONENTS

 5³  = (5)(5)(5) = 125   5³  means to multiply 5 three times. The 5 is called
the base and the 3 is the exponent.
The meaning of exponents is the same at all levels of mathematics.
For example:  (x + 3)²  means to multiply (x + 3) times (x + 3).  This is why people say that
exponents are a short way of indicating multiplication.

So (x + 3)² = (x + 3)(x + 3) = (x²  + 3x + 3x + 9) = x² + 6x + 9

 4² = (4)(4) = 16 
 4⁵ = (4)(4)(4)(4)(4) = 1024

By definition any number with a 0 exponent is  =  to 1.  So  4⁰  = 1,  9876545679309⁰ = 1
The one exception is 0⁰, is not defined.

We can work in the opposite direction. 25 can be changed to a base and exponent. 25 = 5²
81 = 9² or 3⁴  

7 x 7 x 7 x 7 x 7 x 7 can be written 7⁶.  

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