Final answer:
To factor -1/8 out of the expression 1/2 - 5/8y, convert 1/2 to a common denominator of 8 to get 4/8 - 5/8y and then factor out -1/8 to get -1/8(-4 + y).
Step-by-step explanation:
The question involves factoring a common term out of an expression, which falls under the category of algebra in Mathematics. To factor -1/8 out of the expression 1/2 - 5/8y, we re-write each term with a common denominator and then factor out -1/8.
Firstly, write 1/2 with a common denominator of 8, which is 4/8. The expression then becomes 4/8 - 5/8y.
Now, we can factor out -1/8 from both terms:
-1/8 * (-4 + y) = 1/2 - 5/8y
So we have successfully factored -1/8 from the original expression, resulting in -1/8(-4 + y).