The Exponent That Broke The Internet

The Exponent That Broke The Internet
math-memes, algebra-memes, exponents-memes, notation-memes, confusion-memes | ScienceHumor.io

The mathematical betrayal is real! When asked to solve X¹ = 7, the natural instinct is to say "X = 7" because anything raised to the power of 1 equals itself. But the sneaky correct answer is actually ⁷√7 (the 7th root of 7).

It's that moment when you realize the notation was flipped - it's not X raised to the power of 1, but rather X raised to the power of 1 equals 7, so X = 7^(1/1) = 7. Wait, that's still 7? Plot twist: the superscript was actually a subscript, making it X₁ = 7!

The wall punch in the background perfectly captures the emotional damage of realizing you've been bamboozled by notation. Math: where the difference between a superscript and a subscript can make you question your entire education.

More Like This