Question

what does -5 to the negative first power equal?

Answer 1

1/-5

Answer 2

negative makes it a fraction

Answer 3

-5^(-1) =-1/5

Answer 4

By laws of exponents:
\[x^a \times x^b = x^{a+b}\]
So if a is x is -5, a is 1 and b is -1:
\[(-5)^1 \times (-5)^{-1} = (-5)^{1+(-1)}\]
Rearranging:
\[(-5)^{-1} = (-5)^0 / (-5)^1\]
Now we know (-5)^0 = 1 and (-5)^1 = -5, so
\[(-5)^-1 = -\frac{1}{5}\]