What does "exp" mean in math?

In mathematics, the abbreviation "exp" stands for the word exponent. An exponent is a number placed after another number to indicate the power to which the former number is to be raised. The expression 5 exp 2, for example, means 5 raised to the second power or 5 x 5.

The exponents in an equation are normally written in superscript, meaning both in a smaller size and slightly above the line. An exponent can be any rational number, positive or negative. An exponent can also be a fraction, or even a complex term with variables. For example, 3^(5n + 6) means 3 raised to the power of the quantity 5n + 6. An exponent can also be zero. Any number, except for zero, raised to the power of zero equals 1.