Calculating five times the number -1

To calculate five times the number -1, you use multiplication, specifically multiplying -1 by 5. Multiplication here means you are taking the value of -1 and combining it five times, which scales the number up proportionally. Think of it as adding -1 five separate times: -1 + -1 + -1 + -1 + -1. Performing the operation -1 * 5 accomplishes this in a single step. The expression -5 captures this calculation, so when you substitute any value for -1, evaluating -1 * 5 will give you five times that original number.