What does the exponent in an expression indicate?

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The exponent in an expression indicates how many times the base is multiplied by itself. It is a shorthand notation that simplifies the representation of repeated multiplication.

For example, in the expression $$ a^n $$:
- $$ a $$ is the base.
- $$ n $$ is the exponent.

This means that $$ a $$ is multiplied by itself $$ n $$ times.

Here are a few key points about exponents:

1. **Positive Exponents**: If $$ n $$ is a positive integer, $$ a^n = a 	imes a 	imes a 	imes \ldots $$ (n times).

2. **Zero Exponent**: Any non-zero number raised to the power of zero is equal to 1, i.e., $$ a^0 = 1 $$ (for $$ a 
eq 0 $$).

3. **Negative Exponents**: A negative exponent indicates the reciprocal of the base raised to the absolute value of the exponent, i.e., $$ a^{-n} = \frac{1}{a^n} $$ (for $$ a 
eq 0 $$).

4. **Fractional Exponents**: A fractional exponent indicates a root. For example, $$ a^{\frac{1}{n}} $$ represents the $$ n $$-th root of $$ a $$.

Understanding exponents is fundamental in algebra and is used in various mathematical contexts, including polynomial expressions, scientific notation, and exponential growth or decay models.
The exponent in an expression shows how many times the base is multiplied by itself. For example, in $$ a^n $$, the base $$ a $$ is multiplied by itself $$ n $$ times.

What does the exponent in an expression indicate?

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