Given the equation:
![-3(-8-\boxdot x)-6(x-7)=18x+66](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/ose8tjb0wxsrnfhh7qajmzm304my90au04.png)
Let the blank be represented by the letter y.
We can then rewrite the equation as:
![-3(-8-yx)-6(x-7)=18x+66](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/inhrh4wpxawg6sh06mq8m1dn8y5c8sud7p.png)
First, we open the brackets on the left-hand side.
![\begin{gathered} 24+3yx-6x+42=18x+66 \\ 3yx-6x+24+42=18x+66 \\ (3y-6)x+66=18x+66 \end{gathered}](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/iot9ugjnvupv17oz9r2ifke03qx9vlk4yf.png)
Comparing both sides of the equation, we have that:
![\begin{gathered} (3y-6)x=18x \\ \implies3y-6=18 \\ \implies3y=18+6 \\ \implies3y=24 \\ \implies y=8 \end{gathered}](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/6rnhnl2q84yklwv05mwzg1ytq9vfc5qkn6.png)
Therefore, the number which will be used to fill the blank is 8.
That is:
![-3(-8-\boxed{8}x)-6(x-7)=18x+66](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/tb9309kpq537apdmvcmd4vkml0qop4m6lp.png)