1. **State the problem:** Solve the equation $$-12p = -78$$ for the variable $p$. 2. **Formula and rules:** To solve for $p$, we need to isolate $p$ on one side of the equation. Since $p$ is multiplied by $-12$, we divide both sides of the equation by $-12$. 3. **Divide both sides:** $$p = \frac{-78}{-12}$$ 4. **Simplify the fraction:** $$p = \frac{\cancel{-}78}{\cancel{-}12} = \frac{78}{12}$$ 5. **Reduce the fraction to simplest form:** Both numerator and denominator can be divided by 6: $$p = \frac{78 \div 6}{12 \div 6} = \frac{13}{2}$$ 6. **Final answer:** $$p = \frac{13}{2}$$ or as a decimal, $$p = 6.5$$ This means the value of $p$ that satisfies the equation is $6.5$.