1. The problem is to understand the list of numbers: 28, 39, -8, -56, -9. 2. We can analyze this set by calculating basic statistics or identifying any patterns. 3. Let's find the sum of the numbers: $$28 + 39 + (-8) + (-56) + (-9)$$ 4. Calculate step-by-step: $$28 + 39 = 67$$ $$67 - 8 = 59$$ $$59 - 56 = 3$$ $$3 - 9 = -6$$ 5. The sum of the numbers is $$-6$$. 6. Next, compute the mean (average) by dividing the sum by the count (5): $$\text{Mean} = \frac{-6}{5} = -1.2$$ 7. This list has varied positive and negative values and could represent data points for different contexts. 8. If needed, one can calculate other statistics like median, range, or standard deviation for deeper insights.