1. \( (-5)^{-1} \cdot(-5) \)

Did you know that when you raise a number to the power of -1, it actually means taking its reciprocal? So, \( (-5)^{-1} \) is the same as \( \frac{1}{-5} \). Multiplying \( \frac{1}{-5} \) by \( -5 \) cancels out the negative values, resulting in \( 1 \). Math has its own little magic! Now, make sure to remember that when you multiply a number by its reciprocal, the result is always 1, as long as the number isn't zero. Just a little hiccup to watch out for—because \( 0^{-1} \) creates a divide-by-zero scenario, and that’s a big no-no in math land!