The expression 2^3 means that the number 2 is multiplied by itself 3 times. This can be written as 2 × 2 × 2. When you perform this multiplication, you first multiply the first two 2s to get 4, and then multiply that result by the last 2 to get 8. Thus, 2^3 equals 8. This concept is part of exponents, which are used in mathematics to represent repeated multiplication. Exponents help simplify calculations and are commonly used in various fields, including science and engineering.