Determine the Slope of the Line Represented by the Given $y = - 5 x - 8$

Multiple Choice

Determine the slope of the line represented by the given equation. $y = - 5 x - 8$

A) $m = - 5$
B) $m = 8$
C) $m = 5$
D) $m = \frac { 5 } { 8 }$
E) $m = - 8$