Question

How do you simplify `(-3x - 9)/-3`?

Answer 1

`x+3`

Explanation:

`"each term on the numerator is divided by "-3`

`rArr(-3x)/(-3)+(-9)/(-3)`

`=(cancel(-3) x)/cancel(-3)+cancel(-9)^3/cancel(-3)^1`

`=x+3`

Answer 2

`(-3x-9)/(-3)=color(blue)(x+3`

Explanation:

Simplify:

`(-3x-9)/(-3)`

Factor out the common term `3` in the numerator.

`(-3(x+3))/(-3)`

Two negatives make a positive.

`(3(x+3))/3`

Cancel `3` in the numerator and denominator.

`(color(red)cancel(color(black)(3))^1(x+3))/color(red)cancel(color(black)(3))^1`

Simplify.

`x+3`

[Edit]

Or.....
you can simply see that both the terms on the numerator are divisible by 3.... that is the denominator

Simply
`(a+-b)/c=a/c+-b/c`
Or...
`(-3x-9)/(-3)=(cancel(-3) x)/(cancel(-3)) -cancel9^-3/cancel(-3)`
Which gives
`x-(-3)`
`x+3`