How do you solve #-2/3a=8/15#?

1 Answer
Mar 12, 2017

#a=-4/5#

Explanation:

Multiply both sides by a common denominator (in this case it's #15#)

#-2/3a=8/15#

#-2/3a*15/1=8/15*15/1#

#-2/cancel(3)a*color(red)(5)/1=8/cancel(15)*cancel(15)/1#

And find:

#-2a * 5=8*1#

so...

#-10a=8#

Divide both sides by #-10#:

#(-10a)/-10=8/-10#

And get:

#a=-8/10=-4/5#