Solve by the linear combination method (with or without multiplication)
2x+3y= -17, 5x+2y = -4

2x+3y= -17 
5x+2y= -4
You must cancel either the x or y out to solve so i'm going to cancel the x. 
-5(2x+3y= -17)
2(5x+2y= -4)
This simplifies to: 
-15x -15y=85
15x+4y= -8
The -15x and 15x cancel out leaving you: 
-15y=85 
4y= -8
You add them top numbers by the bottom and get: 
-11y=77
Then divide by -11 to get y by its self.
y= -7
Now that you know what y is just plug it in to either original problem. I will use the second one. 
5x + 2(-7) = -4
5x -14 = -4
5x = 10 
x = 2
So the answer is (2,-7) or x=2 and y=-7