Final answer:
In the exponential expression 5^6, the base is 5 and the exponent is 6, signifying that the number 5 is multiplied by itself a total of six times.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the exponential expression 56, the base is the number being multiplied by itself, which is 5. The exponent represents how many times the base is used in the multiplication (i.e., how many factors there are), which is 6. Thus, the base of the expression is 5, and the exponent is 6.
Using the shorthand notation of exponents, one can express repeated multiplication more efficiently. For instance, if you are asked to multiply 5 by itself 6 times, you can simply write 56 instead of 5 x 5 x 5 x 5 x 5 x 5. Exponents are not just limited to whole numbers; they can be negative, fractional, or even irrational, allowing for a wide range of mathematical expressions and calculations.