An exponent tells how many times a base number is multiplied by itself. The exponent is written as a small number to the upper right of the base number. For example, in the expression 34, 3 is the base and 4 is the exponent, meaning 3 x 3 x 3 x 3. Exponents can be read in terms of the base being raised to a power, like "three to the fourth power." Negative exponents expand the negative part of the base number. Anything raised to the zero power equals one, except when the base is negative, in which case the result is negative one.