Factor the following polynomials completely. How do you???

Question

First question? 8x-4

Find the equation of the line that is perpendicular to 2x-y=3, and passes through the point (-4,1)
The answer is -1/2x-1 ///how do you work it out to get the answer???

Answer 1

8x - 4
= 4(2x-1)

2nd question:
slope of given line is 2, so the slope of the new line is -1/2

new equation:
y = mx + b
1 = (-1/2)(-4) + b
1 = 2 + b
b = -1

so y = (-1/2)x -1 is the new equation.

(if their answer was -1/2x-1, then they used quite improper mathematical form)
Furthermore, I am curious.
Since you did not know how to factor such a fundamentally easy common factor question as your first question, how can you possibly handle the second type of question ?

Answer 2

Thanks, Oh o.k.