To find the sum of the roots of the quadratic equation \(x^2 - 5x - 1 = 0\), we can use Vieta's formulas. Vieta's formulas relate the coefficients of a polynomial to sums and products of its roots.
For a quadratic equation of the form:
\[ ax^2 + bx + c = 0 \]
The sum of the roots \((x_1 + x_2)\) is given by:
\[ x_1 + x_2 = -\frac{b}{a} \]
In the given equation \(x^2 - 5x - 1 = 0\), the coefficients are:
- \(a = 1\)
- \(b = -5\)
- \(c = -1\)
Applying Vieta's formula for the sum of the roots:
\[ x_1 + x_2 = -\frac{-5}{1} = 5 \]
So, the sum of the roots of the equation \(x^2 - 5x - 1 = 0\) is 5.