Answer
3
Work Step by Step
We are given the expression $-3^{5}$.
Recall that an exponential expression consists of a factor, known as the base, and an exponent. The number of times that the base is multiplied is indicated by the value of the exponent.
Therefore, 3 is the base of the exponent 3. Without parentheses around both the 3 and the negative sign, only the 3 is multiplied by the exponent.
Multiplied out, $-3^{5}=-(3\times 3\times 3\times 3\times 3)$
