What is the value of 10 raised to the power of -2?

The value of 10 raised to the power of -2 represents the mathematical operation of taking the reciprocal of 10 squared. When a number is raised to a negative exponent, it indicates that you divide 1 by that number raised to the corresponding positive exponent.

In this case, 10 raised to the power of -2 is calculated as follows:

10^(-2) = 1 / (10^2)

Calculating 10 squared gives you 100. Therefore:

10^(-2) = 1 / 100 = 0.01

Thus, the correct answer is 0.01, which accurately reflects the mathematical principle governing negative exponents.