An exponent is a number that tells how many times the base number is used as a factor. For example, 34 indicates that the base number 3 is used as a factor 4 times. To determine the value of 34, multiply 3*3*3*3 which would give the result 81.

Exponents are written as a superscript number (e.g. 34) or preceded by the caret (^) symbol (e.g. 3^4).

Some facts about exponents:

  • Zero raised to any power is zero (e.g. 05 = 0)
  • One raised to any power is one (e.g. 15 = 1)
  • Any number raised to the zero power is one (e.g. 70 = 1)
  • Any number raised to the first power is that number (e.g. 71 = 7)



History of Exponents

 Exponents were first used in the 15th century by a man named Nicolas Chuquet first used exponential notation back in the 15th century,He was the first to discover exponents. In the next century, Robert Recorde further developed the system of exponents.
 In fact,  until about 400 years ago, nobody used exponents, and they were perfectly able to do mathematics. But then some people decided that it got boring always writing out all those "times" symbols, and they decided to use exponents to mean how many times you wrote down the number.