The expression "7^2" represents the mathematical operation of raising the number 7 to the power of 2. This means multiplying 7 by itself: 7 × 7. The result of this operation is 49. In mathematics, this concept is known as "exponentiation," where the base (in this case, 7) is multiplied by itself a certain number of times indicated by the exponent (2). Exponentiation is a fundamental operation used in various fields, including algebra, geometry, and computer science.