Understanding index notation (powers) such as 2⁴ meaning 2 × 2 × 2 × 2, and evaluating simple powers.
Where your child meets this in real life: Scientific notation, computing powers of 10, understanding exponential growth
SEAGReady breaks understand indices into 3 steps, taught in order so each skill builds on the last.
Write and evaluate squares and cubes using index notation (e.g., 5² = 5 × 5 = 25)
Evaluate powers beyond cubes using index notation (e.g., 2⁴ = 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 = 16)
Recognize the pattern in powers of 10 and understand that any number to power 1 equals itself
Three free sample questions from our understand indices course. Every question comes with a full explanation, and hints that guide without giving the answer away.
Sean is learning about index notation. He sees 5 squared written as 5 with a small 2 above it. What does 5² equal?
Answer: B. 25
The small 2 is called the index. It tells us to multiply 5 by itself. 5² = 5 × 5 = 25
Stuck? Start here: The small 2 is called the index or power. It tells you how many times to multiply the base.
Roisin is calculating 2 to the power of 4. She writes 2⁴. What is the value?
Answer: B. 16
2⁴ means 2 multiplied by itself 4 times. 2⁴ = 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 = 4 × 2 × 2 = 8 × 2 = 16
Stuck? Start here: The index 4 means multiply 2 by itself 4 times.
Oisin notices that 10² = 100 (2 zeros) and 10³ = 1,000 (3 zeros). Using this pattern, what is 10⁴?
Answer: B. 10,000
The pattern for powers of 10: the index tells us how many zeros. 10² = 100 (2 zeros) 10³ = 1,000 (3 zeros) 10⁴ = 10,000 (4 zeros)
Stuck? Start here: Look at the pattern: 10² has 2 zeros, 10³ has 3 zeros.
This is the exact interactive worked example your child sees in SEAGReady. Step through it and watch the method build up.
Caitlin is learning about index notation in maths class. She sees the expression 4 squared written as 4 with a small 2 above it.
What does 4 squared mean, and what is its value?
4²
Step 1 of 5
Caitlin is learning about index notation in maths class. She sees the expression 4 squared written as 4 with a small 2 above it.
What does 4 squared mean, and what is its value?
4² = 16. The index 2 means we multiply 4 by itself.
The key insight: The small number tells you how many times to multiply, not what to multiply by!
Watch out: 4² = 8. Multiplying base by index (4 × 2 = 8) instead of multiplying the base by itself.
These are the misconceptions we see most often in understand indices, including the ones our practice questions are specifically designed to catch.
Struggling with understand indices? The real gap is often in one of these earlier topics.
SEAGReady finds the exact step where your child gets stuck, teaches it with worked examples like the one above, and brings it back for review so it sticks.