Big Ideas Math Integrated I, 2016
BI
Big Ideas Math Integrated I, 2016 View details
5. Graphing Linear Equations in Slope-Intercept Form
Continue to next subchapter

Exercise 34 Page 142

You are given the y-intercept. How can you calculate the slope from the changes in the dependent and independent variables?

Slope: -1/5
y-intercept: 3
x-intercept: 15
Graph:

Practice makes perfect

We will use the given information to determine some features of the function, starting with the slope.

Slope

The slope of a line is the quotient between the change in the dependent variable, usually the y-variable, and the independent variable, usually the x-variable. slope=change iny/change inx

We are told that the dependent variable increases by 1 unit every time the independent variable decreases by 5 units. slope=1/-5 ⇔ slope=-1/5

y-intercept

Think of the point where a line crosses the y-axis. The x-coordinate of that point is 0, and the y-coordinate is the y-intercept. We know that the value of the function at 0 is 3. Therefore the line intercepts the y-axis at (0,3), and therefore the y-intercept is 3.

Graph

We now have enough information to graph the function. We will start by plotting the y-intercept. Then, we will use the slope to find another point. By connecting these points with a straight line, we will form the graph of our equation.

x-intercept

We can identify the x-intercept by looking at the graph.

The line intercepts the x-axis at (15,0). Therefore, the x-intercept is 15.