To find the value of 10 to the power of negative 2, we can use the rule of exponents that states that a negative exponent indicates a reciprocal. In mathematical terms, this is expressed as:
10-2 = 1 / 102
Next, we calculate 102, which is:
102 = 10 x 10 = 100
Now, substituting this back into our equation gives:
10-2 = 1 / 100 = 0.01
Therefore, the value of 10 to the power of negative 2 is 0.01.