To solve the equation −7 = −ax − 16 for x, we can follow these steps:
Step 1: Move the constant term to the other side of the equation.
To do this, we can add 16 to both sides of the equation:
−7 + 16 = −ax − 16 + 16.
Simplifying the equation gives us:
9 = −ax.
Step 2: Divide both sides of the equation by −a.
To solve for x, we need to isolate it. Since x is multiplied by −a, we can divide both sides of the equation by −a to cancel out the −a on the right side:
9 ÷ −a = −ax ÷ −a.
The equation becomes:
9 ÷ −a = x.
Step 3: Simplify the expression.
The final answer is:
x = −9/a.
Therefore, the solution to the equation −7 = −ax − 16 is x = −9/a, where a ≠ 0.