What is Exponent in GMAT?

Q: What is Exponent in GMAT?

The power to which a base is raised. An exponent is just a shortcut for repeated multiplication. When you see 2^3, the small raised number (the 3) tells you how many times to multiply the base (the 2) by itself: 2 × 2 × 2 = 8. Think of it like a stack of doublings, instead of writing out a long chain of the same number, the exponent counts the copies for you. This matters because it lets us write huge or tiny numbers compactly and describe things that grow fast, like money earning interest.

Exponent

GMAT glossary · Quantitative Reasoning

Definition

The power to which a base is raised.

Exponent in plain English

An exponent is just a shortcut for repeated multiplication. When you see 2^3, the small raised number (the 3) tells you how many times to multiply the base (the 2) by itself: 2 × 2 × 2 = 8. Think of it like a stack of doublings, instead of writing out a long chain of the same number, the exponent counts the copies for you. This matters because it lets us write huge or tiny numbers compactly and describe things that grow fast, like money earning interest.

Practice Exponent

Which of the following is larger?

Related GMAT terms

Absolute Value
Arithmetic Mean
Composite Number
Discrete Data
Discriminant
Domain
Factorial
Greatest Common Divisor (GCD)
Independent Events
Inequality

GMAT practice questions · GMAT flashcards · GMAT study guide