What is the value of 2 cubed, or 2 to the third power?

To determine the value of 2 cubed, or 2 to the third power, we need to perform the calculation 2 × 2 × 2. This operation breaks down as follows:

1. First, multiply the first two 2s:

2 × 2 = 4.

2. Next, take that result (4) and multiply it by the last 2:

4 × 2 = 8.

Thus, 2 cubed equals 8. This makes the choice of 8 the correct answer. This concept of exponentiation indicates how many times a number (the base, in this case, 2) is multiplied by itself. In this case, since we are raising it to the power of 3, we multiply it three times.