What is 3 raised to the power of 4?

The power of a number refers to how many times to use that number in a multiplication. In this case, 3 raised to the power of 4 means multiplying 3 by itself 4 times:

3 × 3 × 3 × 3.

Calculating this step-by-step gives:

1. First, multiply the first two 3s:

3 × 3 = 9.

2. Next, take that result and multiply by the next 3:

9 × 3 = 27.

3. Finally, multiply that result by the last 3:

27 × 3 = 81.

Thus, 3 raised to the power of 4 equals 81, confirming the answer is indeed correct. This showcases the exponent's role in denoting repeated multiplication, leading to an understanding of how powers of numbers increase in value significantly as the exponent becomes larger.