College Math Placement Practice Test 2026 - Free College Math Questions and Study Guide

To determine the value of 5², you need to understand what the notation means. The expression 5² indicates that you are multiplying the number 5 by itself. This can be calculated as follows:

5 × 5 = 25.

Therefore, the value of 5² is 25.

This aligns with the choice of 25, which is the correct answer. Understanding exponents is critical in mathematics, as they signify repeated multiplication of a number. In this case, since 5 is used as the base and 2 is the exponent, it illustrates a simple yet fundamental concept that appears frequently in various mathematical contexts.