a) $-79 -9 . (2x - 1 )^2=-160^{}$
$⇔-9.(2x-1)^2=-81$
$⇔(2x-1)^2=9$
$⇔\left[ \begin{array}{l}2x-1=3\\2x-1=-3\end{array} \right.$
$⇔\left[ \begin{array}{l}x=2\\x=-1\end{array} \right.$
b) $-2 .(-x-5) + 28 = 20-3. (x + 4)$
$⇔2x+10+28=20-3x-12$
$⇔5x=-30$
$⇔x=-6$