Let us consider the Steenrod algebra $\mathcal A$ over the field of two elements, $\mathbb Z/2.$ We knew that that the $\mathbb Z/2$-cohomology of the product of $h$ copies of the infinite real projective space $\mathbb RP(\infty)$ can be identified with $P^{\otimes h} = \mathbb Z/2[t_1, \ldots, t_h],$ the polynomial algebra on $h$ generators with the degree of each $t_i$ being one. Moreover, this $P^{\otimes h}$ equipped with the (left) unstable $\mathcal A$-module structure. In the work [Abstracts Amer. Math. Soc. 833 (1987)], Franklin Peterson proposed the "hit" problem of determination a minimal generating set for $\mathcal A$-module $P^{\otimes h}.$ Equivalently, the hit problem is to find a monomial basis for the unhit space $\mathbb Z/2\otimes_{\mathcal A}P^{\otimes h}$ in each positive degree. The hit problem, which remains open for arbitrary $h\geq 5,$ plays an important role in discovering some classical problems in homotopy theory. Singer's algebraic transfer of rank $h$ [Math. Z. 202, 493-523 (1989)], which passes from the coinvariants of certain representation of the general linear group $GL_h$ of rank $h$ over $\mathbb Z/2$ to the $\mathbb Z/2$-cohomology group of the Steenrod algebra, ${\rm Ext}_{\mathcal A}^{h, h+*}(\mathbb Z/2, \mathbb Z/2),$ is a relatively efficient tool to describe mysterious Ext groups. Singer conjectured that this transfer homomorphism is a monomorphism, but there is no answer yet in ranks $\geq 5.$ It is very difficult to calculate the value of the algebraic transfer on any non-zero element in each positive degree. In the current paper, we use techniques of the hit problem for the algebra $\mathcal A$ to study the algebraic transfer. The approach is quite effective to determine the Singer transfer. Our result then shows that the algebraic transfer of rank 5 in the general degree given is an isomorphism. As a consequence, Singer's conjecture is true for rank $5$ in those degrees.