Final answer:
To solve the equation -8/x = 72, multiply both sides by x, then isolate x by dividing both sides by 72 to get a) x = -1/9.
Step-by-step explanation:
To solve the equation -8/x = 72, we need to eliminate the value of x in the denominator. We can do this by multiplying both sides of the equation by x.
This gives us -8 = 72x. To isolate x, we divide both sides of the equation by 72. So, x = -8/72. Simplifying further, x = -1/9.
Therefore, the number that needs to be eliminated to solve the equation is x = -1/9, option a).