y - (6/y) = 5 y*(y - (6/y)) = y*5 <<--- see note 1 below y^2 - 6 = 5y y^2 - 5y - 6 = 0 (y+1)(y-6) = 0 <<--- see note 2 below y+1 = 0 or y-6 = 0 y = -1 or y = 6 which are the two answers
note 1: I multiplied both sides by y to clear out the fraction (the LCD is y)
note 2: I factored the left side by asking myself "what two numbers multiply to -6 and add to +5?" the answer to that question is +1 and -6 which helps lead to the factorization. An alternative route instead factoring is to use the quadratic formula
