1. **Simplify (a) 3x - {5 - [8 - (5x - 4)]}** Step 1: Start with the innermost parentheses: $(5x - 4)$. Step 2: Simplify inside the brackets: $8 - (5x - 4) = 8 - 5x + 4 = 12 - 5x$. Step 3: Now simplify inside the braces: $5 - [12 - 5x] = 5 - 12 + 5x = -7 + 5x$. Step 4: Substitute back: $3x - (-7 + 5x) = 3x + 7 - 5x = (3x - 5x) + 7 = -2x + 7$. 2. **Simplify (b) $\frac{2(3x - 1)}{5} - (x + 1) - \frac{2x + 1}{3}$** Step 1: Expand numerator: $2(3x - 1) = 6x - 2$. Step 2: Write expression: $\frac{6x - 2}{5} - (x + 1) - \frac{2x + 1}{3}$. Step 3: Find common denominator for fractions: 15. Step 4: Convert each term: - $\frac{6x - 2}{5} = \frac{3(6x - 2)}{15} = \frac{18x - 6}{15}$ - $(x + 1) = \frac{15(x + 1)}{15} = \frac{15x + 15}{15}$ - $\frac{2x + 1}{3} = \frac{5(2x + 1)}{15} = \frac{10x + 5}{15}$ Step 5: Combine all over 15: $$\frac{18x - 6}{15} - \frac{15x + 15}{15} - \frac{10x + 5}{15} = \frac{18x - 6 - 15x - 15 - 10x - 5}{15} = \frac{(18x - 15x - 10x) + (-6 - 15 - 5)}{15} = \frac{-7x - 26}{15}$$ **Final answers:** (a) $-2x + 7$ (b) $\frac{-7x - 26}{15}$