Power of a Power

When you raise a power to another power, you multiply the exponents: $(x^a)^b = x^{ab}$.

For example, $(2^3)^2 = (2^3) \times (2^3) = 2^{3+3} = 2^6$. You're multiplying $2^3$ by itself 2 times, which means $3 \times 2 = 6$ copies of the base.

This is where exponential growth gets wild. $(2^{10})^{10} = 2^{100}$, a number with 31 digits. Two small exponents compound into something huge.