1. Let's start by stating the problem: solve the equation $-7a - 4 = -25$ for $a$. 2. The goal is to isolate $a$ on one side of the equation. To do this, we first get rid of the constant term on the left side by adding 4 to both sides: $$-7a - 4 + 4 = -25 + 4$$ which simplifies to $$-7a = -21$$ 3. Now, to solve for $a$, divide both sides by $-7$: $$\frac{-7a}{\cancel{-7}} = \frac{-21}{\cancel{-7}}$$ which simplifies to $$a = 3$$ 4. So, the solution is $a = 3$. This means if you replace $a$ with 3 in the original equation, both sides will be equal, confirming the answer is correct.