Question 1157629
<pre>
{{{7x + 5y = 40}}}

Add -7x to both sides to cancel away the term in x and leave only the term in y.

{{{-7x+7x + 5y = -7x+40}}}

Combine like terms on the left.

{{{5y = -7x+40}}}

Divide every term by the coefficient of y, which is 5.

{{{5y/5 = expr((-7)/5)x+40/5}}}

{{{y=expr(-7/5)x+8}}}   

That's the answer.

Compare that to 

{{{y=mx+b}}}

and you'll see that m corresponds to -7/5 and b corresponds to 8

So m = -7/5 and b = 8

Edwin</pre>