To solve for "b" in the equation -9 + (1/2)b = -5, you can follow these steps:
1. Add 9 to both sides of the equation to isolate the term with "b" on the left side:
-9 + (1/2)b + 9 = -5 + 9
This simplifies to:
(1/2)b = 4
2. Now, you need to isolate "b" by multiplying both sides of the equation by 2 to get rid of the fraction:
(1/2)b * 2 = 4 * 2
This simplifies to:
b = 8
So, the solution to the equation is b = 8.