Home > Student Resources > Computing Powers

Computing Powers

Powers help to simplify multiplication when something is multiplied by itself many times.

Example:

$x \cdot x \cdot x \cdot x = x^4$

$x \cdot x \cdot y \cdot y \cdot y =x^2 y^3$

Computing a power means we carry out the multiplication

Step 1: Write out or expand the power

Step 2: Multiply through the numbers

Example: Compute $2^6$

Multiplication trees help to organize numbers

Example 2: Compute $3^5$