Question

What is 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 as an exponent

Answer 1

your answer is 3 to the fifth power

Answer 2

What is 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 as an exponent?

$a^b$
a = base
b = to the power
a to the power of b

3 will be the base.
How many times does 3 multiply to itself?
3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3
5 times. 
The power will be 5.
$3^5$
and this can be said as Three to the power of five.

$3^5$ = 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 = 243
$3^5$ = 243