An exponent is a mathematical notation that indicates how many times a number, known as the base, is multiplied by itself. For example, in the expression 23, the number 2 is the base and the exponent is 3. This means that 2 is multiplied by itself a total of three times: 2 × 2 × 2, which equals 8.
Exponents can also be positive or negative. A positive exponent indicates repeated multiplication, while a negative exponent signifies repeated division. For instance, 2-2 equals 1/(22), which is 1/4. Understanding exponents is fundamental for solving many areas of mathematics, including algebra and calculus.