Editing Exponentiation (section)

==Terminology==
The expression {{math|1=''b''<sup>2</sup> = ''b'' · ''b''}} is called "the [[square (algebra)|square]] of {{math|''b''}}" or "{{math|''b''}} squared", because the area of a square with side-length {{math|''b''}} is {{math|''b''<sup>2</sup>}}. (It is true that it could also be called "{{math|''b''}} to the second power", but "the square of {{math|''b''}}" and "{{math|''b''}} squared" are more traditional)

Similarly, the expression {{math|1=''b''<sup>3</sup> = ''b'' · ''b'' · ''b''}} is called "the [[cube (algebra)|cube]] of {{math|''b''}}" or "{{math|''b''}} cubed", because the volume of a cube with side-length {{math|''b''}} is {{math|''b''<sup>3</sup>}}.

When an exponent is a [[positive integer]], that exponent indicates how many copies of the base are multiplied together. For example, {{math|1=3<sup>5</sup> = 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 = 243}}. The base {{math|3}} appears {{math|5}} times in the multiplication, because the exponent is {{math|5}}. Here, {{math|243}} is the ''5th power of 3'', or ''3 raised to the 5th power''.

The word "raised" is usually omitted, and sometimes "power" as well, so {{math|3<sup>5</sup>}} can be simply read "3 to the 5th", or "3 to the 5".