3 to the 5th power, written as 3^5, means multiplying 3 by itself five times. Let’s break it down step by step:
1. 3 × 3 = 9
2. 9 × 3 = 27
3. 27 × 3 = 81
4. 81 × 3 = 243
So, 3 to the 5th power equals 243. This is because you multiply 3 by itself five times, resulting in 243.