Evaluate the following.
$2^8$

• A. $16$
• B. $256$
• C. $5962$
• D. $64$

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the expression to evaluate: \$2^8$.
2. Recall that an exponent means repeated multiplication. So, \$2^8$ means multiplying 2 by itself 8 times: \(2 \times 2 \times 2 \times 2 \times 2 \times 2 \times 2 \times 2\).
3. Group the multiplications in smaller parts to make it easier. For example, calculate \$2^4$ first, which is \(2 \times 2 \times 2 \times 2\).
4. Once you find \$2^4\(, multiply that result by itself to get \)2^8$, because \(2^8 = (2^4) \times (2^4)\).
5. This process will give you the value of \$2^8$ without directly multiplying all eight 2's at once.