Let's translate the statement into an equation.
Let the number be \( x \).
According to the statement: "Half a number plus 9, is -7"
This can be translated into the equation: \[ \frac{1}{2}x + 9 = -7 \]
Now, let's solve the equation.
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Subtract 9 from both sides: \[ \frac{1}{2}x = -7 - 9 \] \[ \frac{1}{2}x = -16 \]
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Multiply both sides by 2 to solve for \( x \): \[ x = -16 \times 2 \] \[ x = -32 \]
So, the number is -32.