Definition
In mathematics, the power of a number is the result of multiplying that number by itself a specified number of times. The small raised number written above and to the right of the base, called the exponent, tells how many times the base is used as a factor. For example, in 4³, the base is 4 and the exponent is 3, so the value is 4 × 4 × 4 = 64.
Plain English
A shorthand way of writing repeated multiplication. The big number is what you're multiplying, and the small raised number tells you how many times to multiply it by itself.
Context Anchor
Seen in maintenance math, scientific notation, unit conversions, and formulas that use squared or cubed values.
Derivation
From the Latin exponere, meaning 'to set out' or 'to display.' The exponent is the small number 'set out' above the base to display how many times it should be multiplied. The word 'power' came into mathematics from medieval translations describing the 'strength' or 'magnitude' produced by repeated multiplication.
Why Pilots Care
Maintenance technicians use powers constantly — area calculations use squares (length²), volume calculations use cubes (length³), and electrical formulas often involve squared values. Misreading an exponent leads to answers that are off by huge margins.
Intuition Check
Power does not mean engine output or electrical power here. Here, it means the raised number that tells how many times to multiply.
Example Sentence 1
To find the area of a square access panel with 6-inch sides, the technician calculated 6², which equals 36 square inches.
Example Sentence 2
Volume formulas raise the dimension to the power of three.