Question

What is -6 to the 5th power?

Answer 1

-6 to the 5th means -6 times itself 5 times
PEMDAS
do the exponents first
(-6)^5=(-6)(-6)(-6)(-6)(-6)=-7776

one shortcut is to recognize that
-6=-1 times 6
so
(-6)(-6)(-6)(-6)(-6)=(-1)(-1)(-1)(-1)(-1)(6)(6)(6)(6)(6)
and remember that odd number of negatives is negative (since neagtive times positive=negative and negative times negative=positive)

therfor answer is -(6^5)

or -7776