exponent

exponent

Maths a number or variable placed as a superscript to the right of another number or quantity indicating the number of times the number or quantity is to be multiplied by itself

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

exponent

[ik′spō·nənt]

(mathematics)

A number or symbol placed to the right and above some given mathematical expression.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

exponent

(programming)

(Or "characteristic") The part of a floating-point number specifying the power of ten by which the mantissa should be multiplied. In the common notation, e.g. 3.1E8, the exponent is 8.

This article is provided by FOLDOC - Free Online Dictionary of Computing (foldoc.org)

exponent

The number written above the line and to the right of a number that indicates the power of a number. For example, 14 to the 4th power is actually 14 multiplied by itself four times. Sometimes, the exponent naturally indicates the number of zeros. For example, 10 to the 3rd power reflects three zeros. The number 467,000 can be stated as 467 x 10 to the 3rd. On a screen or printout, that number is expressed as 467E3. See floating point.

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