Expand parentheses: -2w-16+9>-17.
Separate variable from constant:
add 7 to each side: -2w>-10.
To remove minus sign first add 2w to each side: 0>-10+2w, then add 10 to each side: 10>2w.
Divide through by 2: 5>w which is the same as w<5.
CHECK: try w=4 in the original equation: 2(-4-8)+9=-24+9=-15, and -15 > -17. OK.
Also try w=5 which breaks the inequality: 2(-5-8)+9=-26+9=-17 and -17 is not greater than -17, so OK.