How is the product 3 • 3 • 3 expressed in exponential notation?

How is the product 3 • 3 • 3 expressed in exponential notation?

• A. 3 • 3 • 3
• B. 3^3
• C. 3^2
• D. 9^3

Answer: (B)

Using exponents to show repeated multiplication: the exponent tells how many times the base is used as a factor. Since 3 is multiplied by itself three times, you write 3^3. This compact form equals 3 × 3 × 3, which is 27. The other representations either spell out the multiplication without shortening, use an exponent of 2 (which would be 3 × 3), or change the base to 9 and raise it to a power, which equals 3^6, not 3^3. Therefore, 3^3 is the correct way to express three 3s multiplied together.

Using exponents to show repeated multiplication: the exponent tells how many times the base is used as a factor. Since 3 is multiplied by itself three times, you write 3^3. This compact form equals 3 × 3 × 3, which is 27. The other representations either spell out the multiplication without shortening, use an exponent of 2 (which would be 3 × 3), or change the base to 9 and raise it to a power, which equals 3^6, not 3^3. Therefore, 3^3 is the correct way to express three 3s multiplied together.