Maths Times Infinity > Topics > Indices
Indices
What's a number (x) times itself called? It's called the square (x2) of the number. What about multiplying three of it together? Then you have the cube (x3). Now the number on the top right above the x is called the power or index or exponent. The x part is called the base. So we're raising the base to various powers. The question is what happens when the power is something other than 2 or 3? Like fractions, negative numbers or 0?
Rules
$(x^a)^b = x^{ab}$.
When you multiply two powers of the same number, the indices (plural of index) add.