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In mathematics, exponentiation, denoted b n, is an operation involving two numbers: the base, b, and the exponent or power, n. [1] When n is a positive integer, exponentiation corresponds to repeated multiplication of the base: that is, b n is the product of multiplying n bases: [1] = ⏟.
There is no standard notation for tetration, though Knuth's up arrow notation and the left-exponent are common. Under the definition as repeated exponentiation, n a {\displaystyle {^{n}a}} means a a ⋅ ⋅ a {\displaystyle {a^{a^{\cdot ^{\cdot ^{a}}}}}} , where n copies of a are iterated via exponentiation, right-to-left, i.e. the application ...
In mathematics, the exponential function is the unique real function which maps zero to one and has a derivative equal to its value. The exponential of a variable is denoted or , with the two notations used interchangeably.
When exponents were introduced in the 16th and 17th centuries, they were given precedence over both addition and multiplication and placed as a superscript to the right of their base. [2] Thus 3 + 5 2 = 28 and 3 × 5 2 = 75. These conventions exist to avoid notational ambiguity while allowing notation to remain brief. [4]
In expressions such as , the notation for exponentiation is usually to write the exponent as a superscript to the base number .But many environments — such as programming languages and plain-text e-mail — do not support superscript typesetting.
It is also used for fractions within fractions (complex fractions) or within exponents to increase legibility. Fractions written this way, also known as piece fractions, [31] are written all on one typographical line but take three or more typographical spaces. Built-up fractions: . This notation uses two or more lines of ordinary text and ...
Since e is an irrational number (see proof that e is irrational), it cannot be represented as the quotient of two integers, but it can be represented as a continued fraction. Using calculus, e may also be represented as an infinite series, infinite product, or other types of limit of a sequence.
An irrational fraction is one that contains the variable under a fractional exponent. [12] An example of an irrational fraction is / / /. The process of transforming an irrational fraction to a rational fraction is known as rationalization.