To solve the equation \( 7 - 9 = 7 + ? \), we first simplify the left side:
\[ 7 - 9 = -2 \]
Now, our equation looks like this:
\[ -2 = 7 + ? \]
To find the value of \( ? \), we can rearrange the equation:
\[ ? = -2 - 7 \]
Now, calculate the right side:
\[ ? = -9 \]
So, the answer is:
\[ ? = -9 \]