Question

How do you solve `88w + - 89w - 33= 26`?

Answer 1

`w=59`

Explanation:

`w` represents some number that we don't know.
(How cool is that?! Algebra lets us measure the unknown!!)

Okay, so we have `88w` and we add `-89w`, which is to say we take away `89w`'s from our `88w`'s. This leaves us with `-1w`, or, more concisely, just `-w`.
So
`-w-33=26`

Add `33` to both sides, and you get
`-w=59`

Since an equation is like a balance (remember using those in science classes?), you can do anything to them as long as you do it to both sides.
Multiply both sides by `-1`, and
`w=-59`
And you're done!