For each intercept, substitute 0 into the equation for the other variable and solve.
Then use the intercepts to graph the equation.
Graph:
Interpretation of Intercepts: See solution.
Practice makes perfect
We are given an equation that models the cost of renting small tables and large tables. In the equation, x represents the number of small tables and y represents the number of large tables. We are asked to graph the given equation. Let's start by finding the x- and y-intercepts, which we will then use to graph the equation.
===x-intercept===
To find the x-intercept, we will substitute y=0 into the equation and solve for x.
The x-intercept of the function is (45,0). Since x represents the number of small tables we rent, (45,0) means that if we only rent small tables and no large tables, we can afford 45 small tables.
y-intercept
To find the y-intercept, we will substitute x=0 into the equation and solve for y.
The y-intercept of the function is (0,30). Since y represents the number of large tables we rent, (0,30) means that if we only rent large tables and no small tables, we can afford 30 large tables.
Graphing the Equation
We found both intercepts, so we can graph our equation by plotting them on the coordinate plane and drawing a line that passes through both points. Notice that neither x nor y can be negative, so we will only graph the equation in the first quadrant. Let's do it!
