What is the value of 2x³ if x = 5?

To evaluate an expression of the form a·x^n at a given value of x, first raise x to the power n, then multiply the result by the coefficient a — the power is evaluated before the multiplication, per the standard order of operations.

1. Substitute x = 5 into 2x3 to get 2 × 53.

2. Evaluate the power first: 53 = 5 × 5 × 5 = 125.

3. Multiply by the coefficient: 2 × 125 = 250.

As an independent check, compute 53 by squaring first: 52 × 5 = 25 × 5 = 125, the same power value as above; multiplying by the coefficient again gives 2 × 125 = 250, confirming the result.