When we talk about ‘3 to the second power’, we are referring to an exponentiation operation in mathematics. This operation involves raising a number, in this case, 3, to a certain power indicated by the exponent, which is 2.
Essentially, ‘3 to the second power’ means you multiply the base number, 3, by itself the number of times indicated by the exponent. Therefore, it can be expressed mathematically as:
32 = 3 × 3
When you carry out this multiplication, you get:
3 × 3 = 9
So, 3 to the second power equals 9. Exponentiation is a fundamental concept in mathematics that extends beyond simple multiplication, and it can be seen in various fields such as physics, engineering, and computer science. Understanding how to compute and apply powers is essential for anyone working with mathematical computations.