Answer:
[tex]27 = 3 \cdot 9 = 3 \cdot 3 \cdot 3 = 3^3[/tex]
Step-by-step explanation:
In general, let n be a natural number, and [tex]p_1, p_2, ..., p_k[/tex] be a set of its prime factors, each with a multiplicity [tex]k_1, k_2, ..., k_k[/tex] (multiplicity being the "number of times a given prime shows up as a factor"). Then every number can be written as a product in an exponential form:
[tex]n = p_1^{k_1}\cdot p_2^{k_2}\cdot\cdot\cdot p_k^{k_k}[/tex]
In the example of 27, the p_1=3 and k_1 = 3.