What is the value of 5^2?

The question asks for the value of 5 raised to the power of 2. When a number is raised to an exponent, it means that the number is multiplied by itself for the number of times indicated by the exponent. In this case, 5^2 means 5 multiplied by itself, which can be calculated as follows:

5 * 5 equals 25.

Therefore, the correct answer is 25. This result illustrates the concept of exponentiation, where the base (in this case, 5) is multiplied by itself as many times as indicated by the exponent. Understanding this principle is essential in mathematics as it forms the foundation for more complex calculations involving powers and roots.