What does it mean to calculate 2 to the 5th power?

Calculating 2 to the 5th power, written as 25, means multiplying the number 2 by itself a total of five times. In simpler terms, it is represented mathematically as:

25 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2

Now, let’s break it down:

  • First, we start with the first two: 2 × 2 = 4
  • Next, we take that result and multiply by 2 again: 4 × 2 = 8
  • We continue by multiplying by 2: 8 × 2 = 16
  • Finally, we multiply the last result by 2 once more: 16 × 2 = 32

So, when you compute 25, the final result is:

25 = 32

This calculation demonstrates the concept of exponentiation, where the base (2 in this case) is multiplied by itself a certain number of times indicated by the exponent (5). It’s a fundamental idea in mathematics that has various applications in computing, engineering, and science.

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