What term describes a raised number that specifies the power of a base?

The term that describes a raised number that specifies the power of a base is called an exponent. In mathematical expressions, the exponent indicates how many times the base is multiplied by itself. For example, in the expression (2^3), the number 2 is the base, and the raised number 3 is the exponent, meaning (2) is multiplied by itself (3) times: (2 \times 2 \times 2 = 8).

Understanding the concept of exponents is fundamental in various areas of mathematics, including algebra and calculus, as they allow for the simplification of expressions and the representation of large numbers in a compact form. The other terms listed do not pertain to the concept of exponents. An integer refers to whole numbers, an inequality represents a relationship between quantities that are not equal, and a rational number denotes any number that can be expressed as a fraction. Each of these terms has its own definition and application in mathematics, but they do not relate to the operation of raising a number to a power.