Power and Roots
Get to Know About Power and Roots
You use exponents to shorten long multiplication. Writing two to the third power replaces two times two times two. The exponent tells you how many times to multiply the base by itself. This trick works with fractions and negative numbers. It speeds up many calculations.
A root works opposite to exponent. You pick a number. You multiply it by itself a set number of times to reach the original value. Three times three equals nine. That turns three into the square root of nine. Cube roots and higher roots work the same way. For the fourth root of sixteen, two fits.
People use these tools across many fields. Geometry relies on them to find area and volume. Physics uses them to study energy and waves. Programmers apply exponent rules to model data growth. Finance experts use them to figure out interest and investment growth. Mastering power and roots opens new paths in math and science.