What is the prefix for a factor of 10^2?

The prefix for a factor of 10^2, which is 100, is "hecto." The term "hecto-" originates from the Greek word for hundred and is commonly used in the metric system. When measuring in metric units, "hecto-" is applied to denote quantities that are 100 times larger than the base unit. For example, one hectometer (hm) is equal to 100 meters.

The other prefixes, such as "deka," "deci," and "centi," represent different factors: "deka" corresponds to 10^1 (10), "deci" represents 10^(-1) (0.1), and "centi" indicates 10^(-2) (0.01). Therefore, "hecto" is specifically the correct prefix for 100 (10^2), making it the right answer in this context.