What is the definition of "exponent" in math?

In math, the definition of an exponent is a numerical notation that indicates the number of times a number is to be multiplied by itself. The exponent is written as a small number in superscript following the number to be multiplied.

The number before the exponent is known as the base.

Exponents are also called powers. If there is an 8 followed by an exponent of 2, it can be read as "8 to the power of 2." This means that the 8 is to be used twice in multiplying, or multiplied by itself once. If the exponent is 2, it can also be read as "8 squared."