Questions: Solve. First combine any like terms on each side of the equation. 5w - 9w = 16 w = □

Transcript text: Solve. First combine any like terms on each side of the equation. \[ \begin{array}{l} 5 w-9 w=16 \\ w=\square \end{array} \]

Solution

Solution Steps

To solve the equation \(5w - 9w = 16\), we first combine the like terms on the left side of the equation. This involves subtracting the coefficients of \(w\). Once simplified, we solve for \(w\) by isolating it on one side of the equation.

Step 1: Combine Like Terms

We start with the equation: \[ 5w - 9w = 16 \] Combining the like terms on the left side gives us: \[ (5 - 9)w = 16 \] This simplifies to: \[ -4w = 16 \]

Step 2: Isolate \(w\)

To isolate \(w\), we divide both sides of the equation by \(-4\): \[ w = \frac{16}{-4} \] This simplifies to: \[ w = -4 \]