1. **State the problem:** Solve the equation $$-\frac{25}{16}a = -\frac{7}{4}$$ for $a$. 2. **Formula and rules:** To solve for $a$, we need to isolate $a$ by dividing both sides of the equation by the coefficient of $a$, which is $-\frac{25}{16}$. 3. **Isolate $a$:** $$a = \frac{-\frac{7}{4}}{-\frac{25}{16}}$$ 4. **Simplify the division of fractions:** Dividing by a fraction is the same as multiplying by its reciprocal: $$a = -\frac{7}{4} \times -\frac{16}{25}$$ 5. **Multiply the numerators and denominators:** $$a = \frac{7 \times 16}{4 \times 25}$$ 6. **Calculate numerator and denominator:** $$a = \frac{112}{100}$$ 7. **Simplify the fraction:** Divide numerator and denominator by 4: $$a = \frac{28}{25}$$ **Final answer:** $$a = \frac{28}{25}$$