Answer
-$\frac{1}{25}$
Work Step by Step
$-5^{2}$ = (-1)$(5)^{-2}$ = $-\frac{1}{(5)^{2}}$ = -$\frac{1}{25}$
Whenever there is a negative exponent, we should place the term under a 1. Then we evaluate the expression. In this instance, the answer is -$\frac{1}{25}$.
We should be careful in this instance as the negative is not with the 5 inside the parenthesis.
