Exponent of 0

Any nonzero number raised to the power of 0 equals 1. So $5^0 = 1$, $100^0 = 1$, even $(-3)^0 = 1$.

Why? Think of the pattern: $2^3 = 8$, $2^2 = 4$, $2^1 = 2$. Each time you subtract 1 from the exponent, you divide by the base. Continuing: $2^0 = 2 / 2 = 1$.

This definition keeps the exponent rules consistent and clean. Without it, formulas like $x^a \times x^b = x^{a+b}$ would fail when $a = 0$.