Question

-x - 2 = -44 + 5 Not sure how to do this

Answer 1

                                         -x - 2  =  -44 + 5

That mess on the right side is just  (5 - 44), which is  -39 .
So now the equation is
                                          -x - 2   =  -39

Add  2  to each side:          -x        =  -37

Multiply each side by  -1 :   x        =   37