Tetration is a mathematical operation that involves iterated exponentiation. It is denoted as ^n a , where a is the base and n indicates how many times the exponentiation is applied. For example, ^3 2 means 2^2^2 , which equals 16. Tetration grows much faster than exponentiation, making it a powerful tool in various mathematical fields. This operation is part of a broader hierarchy of operations, which includes addition, multiplication, exponentiation, and then tetration. It is often studied in relation to functions like the Ackermann function and is relevant in areas such as combinatorics and complex analysis.