Module 1 (M1) - Number - What are indices?

Square numbers are formed by multiplying a number by itself.

For example, \(5 {\times 5} = 25\), 25 is a square number.

It can be written as \(5^{2}\) and can also be said as ‘five squared’.

Cube numbers are formed by multiplying a number by itself and by itself again.

For example, \(2 {\times2}{\times 2} = 8\), 8 is a cube number.

It can be written as \(2^{3}\) and said as ‘two cubed’.

\(10^{2} = 10 {\times 10} = 100 \) and said as ‘ten squared’ or ‘ten to the power of 2’\(10^{3} = 10 {\times 10} {\times 10} = 1000\) and said as ‘ten cubed’ or ‘ten to the power of 3’

The power, which is the little number, is the number of times a number is multiplied by itself.

Ten to the power of seven is \(10^{7} = 10 {\times 10}{\times 10}{\times 10}{\times 10}{\times 10}{\times 10} = 10,000,000\)