Algebra help please.....?

(y - 8)(y + 7)...............(y -5)(y + 1)
---------------------x---------------------
(y + 1)(y + 7)..............(y - 8)(y - 5)

y + 7 cancels on the left and y-5 cancels on the right

Remaining

(y-8)..................(y+1)
--------------x------------
(y+1).................(y-8)

= 1

You have 4 quadratics, so factorise them all. Then you will find brackets will cancel top & bottom (remember you can cancel any bracket on the top with any similar bracket anywhere on the top. Another thing: divciding by a fraction: invert the divisor and multiply instead so the second half of that expression will be "multiply by (y^2 - 4y - 5)/(y^2 - 13y + 40).