What does squared mean in math?

Squared means multiplied by itself, so 6² is read “six squared” and equals 6 × 6 = 36. The name comes from a shape: 36 tiles laid 6 by 6 form a square. Cubed works the same way with three equal factors, so 6³ = 216. Going backwards from a square gives a square root, written √, so √36 = 6. Powers and roots are two directions of one idea.

How do you calculate exponents in your head?

Multiply in stages and keep only the running result. For 4⁴, say 4, 16, 64, 256: each step is the last result times 4. For a two-digit square such as 23², split the number into 20 and 3. Then 20² = 400, 2 × 20 × 3 = 120 and 3² = 9 add up to 529.

How do you remember the powers of 2?

Each power of 2 is double the one before, so you can rebuild the whole row from 2¹ = 2: 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024. That last one, 2¹⁰ = 1024, is worth knowing by heart. It is just over a thousand, and multiplying it by itself gives 2²⁰ = 1048576, just over a million.

Why does my child think 3² is 6?

Many children read 3² as 3 × 2, because the two digits sit side by side and multiplying them is a familiar habit. The raised 2 is a count, not a factor: it asks for two 3s, so 3² = 3 × 3 = 9. Writing each power out in full for a while breaks the habit: 5³ becomes 5 × 5 × 5 = 125, never 15.

Is this exponent game free to use in a math lesson?

Yes, it is free for the whole class: the levels run in a browser window, so pupils need no account and the school installs nothing. For a burst of exponent practice, write 2⁴, 4², 3³ and 5² on the board and ask pupils to rank them before calculating. The answers, 16, 16, 27 and 25, reveal a surprise tie. The schools plan, charged per student, shows the teacher on one dashboard which pupils are getting faster at powers.

Math practice · reimagined

Exponents Game

This exponent game runs from 2² = 4 on its first level to Olympic powers whose answers reach seven digits, such as 2²⁰. A small raised number hides a chain of multiplications, so unpack it before your rival does and your fighter strikes first.

Ages 4–99+ · no download · plays in your browser · 23 languages

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What is an exponent?

An exponent is the raised number in a power such as 2⁵, and it counts how many times the base, the number below it, is written in a multiplication. We read 2⁵ as “2 to the power of 5”: five 2s multiplied together make 32. Picture a cell that splits in two every hour: 5 hours later there are 32.

Every level of Powers

Example: what is 3⁴, or 3 to the power of 4?

The base is 3 and the exponent is 4, so four 3s are multiplied: 3 × 3 × 3 × 3.
Work from the left: 3 × 3 = 9, and then 9 × 3 = 27.
The last 3 turns 27 into 27 × 3 = 81.
So 3⁴ = 81, and 81 is the number you type on the keypad.

Learn it step by step

A power is a shortcut for multiplying a number by itself again and again.

The little raised number tells you how many copies to multiply. 2³ means 2 × 2 × 2 = 8 (three 2s). 5² ("five squared") means 5 × 5 = 25.

Multiply the base by itself the right number of times, and type the result.

Tips and common mistakes

Squares grow by the odd numbers in order: 1, 4, 9, 16, 25 step up by 3, 5, 7, 9. So 7² = 36 + 13 = 49.
A common mistake on the mixed level is merging two powers: 2³ + 2² is not 2⁵. Work out each one first, then add: 8 + 4 = 12.
Make it a squares game on a walk or a car ride: call out a number from 1 to 20, your child answers with its square, then swap roles.

How to play

A power such as 9² or 2⁵ appears with its exponent raised, and you type its value on the keypad. Other levels twist the question: 10⁵ × 10¹ = 10^? wants just the exponent, and 2³ − 3² needs the minus key for −1. Answer first and Mushroom strikes, harder the less time you take.

— Quick answers —

Powers: the short FAQ

What does squared mean in math?: Squared means multiplied by itself, so 6² is read “six squared” and equals 6 × 6 = 36. The name comes from a shape: 36 tiles laid 6 by 6 form a square. Cubed works the same way with three equal factors, so 6³ = 216. Going backwards from a square gives a square root, written √, so √36 = 6. Powers and roots are two directions of one idea.
How do you calculate exponents in your head?: Multiply in stages and keep only the running result. For 4⁴, say 4, 16, 64, 256: each step is the last result times 4. For a two-digit square such as 23², split the number into 20 and 3. Then 20² = 400, 2 × 20 × 3 = 120 and 3² = 9 add up to 529.
How do you remember the powers of 2?: Each power of 2 is double the one before, so you can rebuild the whole row from 2¹ = 2: 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024. That last one, 2¹⁰ = 1024, is worth knowing by heart. It is just over a thousand, and multiplying it by itself gives 2²⁰ = 1048576, just over a million.
Why does my child think 3² is 6?: Many children read 3² as 3 × 2, because the two digits sit side by side and multiplying them is a familiar habit. The raised 2 is a count, not a factor: it asks for two 3s, so 3² = 3 × 3 = 9. Writing each power out in full for a while breaks the habit: 5³ becomes 5 × 5 × 5 = 125, never 15.
Is this exponent game free to use in a math lesson?: Yes, it is free for the whole class: the levels run in a browser window, so pupils need no account and the school installs nothing. For a burst of exponent practice, write 2⁴, 4², 3³ and 5² on the board and ask pupils to rank them before calculating. The answers, 16, 16, 27 and 25, reveal a surprise tie. The schools plan, charged per student, shows the teacher on one dashboard which pupils are getting faster at powers.

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