Question 314214
Think to yourself, what number divided by negative 2, will equal 8?


It must be a negative number, because two negatives make a positive.


The answer is -16/-2=8


Another way to look at it is like this:


a/-2 = 8


You are DIVIDING a by -2, and we want to get a by itself. The only way to do that is by MULTIPLYING both sides by -2:


(a/-2)*(-2) = 8*(-2)


The -2's on the left side cancel each other out, and you are left with -16 on the right side.


a=-16