Question

MEDAL AND FAN
question in comments

Answer 1

Can someone explain how to simplify this?

Answer 2

factor the top of the fraction

Answer 3

what is common to 5x^2 and 4x ?

Answer 4

no you're not dumb
You are right
I n fact x is the GCF of 5x^2 and 4x ( GCF = Greatest Common Factor - its the largest term which will divide into both 5x^2 and 4x)

Answer 5

so we can take out x and then divide it into 5x^2 and -4x to get what goes into the parentheses. This is factoring 5x^2 - 4x

the factors are
x(5x - 4)

Answer 6

so we have