Powers (H)

Powers, indices, exponents – they all mean the same thing, and are a shorthand way to show that a number has been multiplied by itself. This GCSE Maths quiz will test your understanding of working with powers, both in numerical and algebraic formats.

If I multiply 3 by itself 4 times, it would be time-consuming to write this out using multiplication signs. Using a superscript ‘4’ is a nice, neat shorthand way to indicate this. In this example, ‘3’ is the base number and ‘4’ is the index, or power.

Once you start carrying out calculations involving powers, you soon spot little shortcuts in working out the size of the new power. These have evolved to become the Laws, or Rules, of Indices. They apply equally to numbers and algebra, and so it is vital that you know and can apply all the laws correctly as they can crop up in all areas of maths!