To solve the equation \(-2x - 5 = -21\), the best two steps are:
Step 1: Add 5 to both sides of the equation to isolate the term with \(x\): \[ -2x - 5 + 5 = -21 + 5 \] This simplifies to: \[ -2x = -16 \]
Step 2: Divide both sides by -2 to solve for \(x\): \[ x = \frac{-16}{-2} \] This simplifies to: \[ x = 8 \]
Solution: \(x = 8\)