To determine the justification for step 1 in the given equation process, we need to examine how we move from the initial equation to the transformed version.
Initial equation:
[tex]\[
-22 - x = 5 + 6x + 9
\][/tex]
Step 1 transformation:
[tex]\[
-22 - x = 14 + 6x
\][/tex]
In the initial equation, we have the constant terms 5 and 9 on the right-hand side. To simplify the equation, we combine these constant terms:
[tex]\[
5 + 9 = 14
\][/tex]
So, the right-hand side of the equation becomes:
[tex]\[
5 + 6x + 9 \Rightarrow 14 + 6x
\][/tex]
Thus, the transformation from:
[tex]\[
-22 - x = 5 + 6x + 9 \quad \Rightarrow \quad -22 - x = 14 + 6x
\][/tex]
is accomplished by combining the like terms 5 and 9 into a single term, 14. Therefore, the justification for this step is:
D. combining like terms