Final answer:
2 to the power of 5, or 2^5, equals 32, determined by multiplying the number 2 by itself a total of five times.
Step-by-step explanation:
2 to the power of 5, written as 25, represents a situation where the number 2 is multiplied by itself four more times, for a total of five times. This can be shown as 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2. The concept of exponents is a shorthand for repeated multiplication, as seen in examples such as 53 and 43. To compute 25, we simply carry out the multiplication:
- 2 x 2 = 4
- 4 x 2 = 8
- 8 x 2 = 16
- 16 x 2 = 32
Therefore, 2 to the power of 5 equals 32.