This is testing knowledge of negative numbers and fractions as bases of exponents.

Let x = -2 < 0.
\(x^5 = (-2)^5 = -32\)
\(x^3 = (-2)^3 = -8\)
\(-8 > -32\), which satisfies \(x^3>x^5\).

Let x = 1/2 > 0.
\((\frac{1}{2})^5 = \frac{1}{32}\)
\((\frac{1}{2})^3 = \frac{1}{8}\)
\(\frac{1}{8} > \frac{1}{32}\), which also satisfies x^3>x^5.

Rule of thumb with tackling comparisons of exponents is to consider negatives AND fractions, on top of positives integers:
- If the base is a fraction: the greater the power, the closer to 0 it will get
- If the base is negative: the greater the odd power, the further from 0 it will get