To simplify the given expression, we can use polynomial long division or synthetic division. The goal is to divide the polynomial \(a^3 - 7a^2 - 64\) by \(a - 8\) and find the quotient.
Step 1: Define the Polynomial and Divisor
We start with the polynomial \(a^3 - 7a^2 - 64\) and the divisor \(a - 8\).
Step 2: Perform Polynomial Division
We perform the division of \(a^3 - 7a^2 - 64\) by \(a - 8\) to find the quotient and remainder.
Step 3: Simplify the Expression
The quotient obtained from the division is \(a^2 + a + 8\) and the remainder is \(-8\).
Final Answer
The simplified form of the given expression is:
\[
\boxed{a^2 + a + 8 - \frac{8}{a - 8}}
\]