The sum of twice a number and 17 is -1

Answer 1

2x +17 = -1

2x = -18

x = - 9

Or maybe the sentence intended to say

2(x+17) = -1

2x +34 = -1

2x = -1-34 = -35

x = -35/2 = -17.5

the first solution, -9, seems preferable as

it complies with PEMDAS, arithmetic order of operations

where M comes before A, Multiplication before Addition

2x +17 not 2(x+17)