a negative sign in front of any expression, is in effect a factor of -1, so -7 for example is really the same as saying -1 * 7, because the -1 is multiplying it right in front of it, therefore
[tex]\bf -5^4\implies -1\cdot 5^4\implies -1\cdot 625\implies -625
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\textit{as opposed to }(-5)^4\implies (-1\cdot 5)^4\implies (-1)^4\cdot 5^4
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(-1\cdot -1\cdot -1\cdot -1)(5\cdot 5\cdot 5\cdot 5)\implies 1\cdot 625\implies 625[/tex]
