How do you simplify #\frac { 8x - 5} { - 8x + 5}#?

1 Answer
Oct 9, 2017

See a solution process below:

Explanation:

Rewrite the expression as:

#(8x - 5)/((-1 * 8x) + (-1 * -5)) =>#

#(8x - 5)/(-1(8x + (-5))) =>#

#(8x - 5)/(-1(8x - 5))#

Now, cancel common terms in the numerator and denominator.

#color(red)(cancel(color(black)(8x - 5)))/(-1color(red)(cancel(color(black)((8x - 5))))) =>#

#1/-1 =>#

#-1#