Question

What is an exponent and exponential notation?

Answer 1

Hint: To solve this question first we will recall the definition of exponents. It is something related to numbers present as the power of a number. Then by taking some examples we will understand the concept of exponent and exponential notation.

Complete step by step solution:
We know that exponent is the way of representing a large number in powers.
Let us take an example of a number ${{2}^{3}}$ , here 2 is called the base of the number and 3 is known as the exponent of 2. So exponent is a method to express a large set of natural numbers.
If we have a large number supposed to be 1000000, we can exponentially represent the number as ${{10}^{6}}$. So the exponential notation is also a way to shorten the large numbers.
The exponent of a number is seen at the right top corner of another number. Exponents are useful when we multiply or divide a number by multiples of 10 in moving the decimal point of a number left or right. Exponent represents the power of units present in a number.

Note: The point to be remembered is that the term index, exponent and power all have the same meaning. The exponent or power of any number will be negative, positive, rational number or zero. The value of any number having exponent as zero will be 1. Also the exponent of zero is calculated and gives the value 1.