Final answer:
The volume of a cube with an edge length of 21 cm is expressed using an exponent as V = 21³ cm³, which is option A).
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the volume of a cube with an edge length of 21 cm, we use the formula for the volume of a cube, which is V = s³, where s is the length of a side of the cube. So for a cube with an edge length of 21 cm, the volume V would be calculated as V = 21³ cm³. Thus, the correct expression using an exponent to express its volume is V = 21³ cm³.
The option that correctly represents this is A) V = 21³ cm³, making it the answer to the student's question.