Solve -3/5:y=-21/-40

$$- \frac { 3 } { 5 } : y = \frac { - 21 } { - 40 }$$

Solve for y

$$y = -\frac{8}{7} = -1\frac{1}{7} \approx -1.142857143$$

Steps for Solving Linear Equation

Variable y cannot be equal to 0 since division by zero is not defined. Multiply both sides of the equation by 40y, the least common multiple of y,-40.

$$40\left(-\frac{3}{5}\right)=-y\left(-21\right)$$

Express 40\left(-\frac{3}{5}\right) as a single fraction.

$$\frac{40\left(-3\right)}{5}=-y\left(-21\right)$$

Multiply 40 and -3 to get -120.

$$\frac{-120}{5}=-y\left(-21\right)$$

Divide -120 by 5 to get -24.

$$-24=-y\left(-21\right)$$

Multiply -1 and -21 to get 21.

$$-24=21y$$

Swap sides so that all variable terms are on the left hand side.

$$21y=-24$$

Divide both sides by 21.

$$y=\frac{-24}{21}$$

Reduce the fraction \frac{-24}{21} to lowest terms by extracting and canceling out 3.

$$y=-\frac{8}{7}$$