Let's begin by explaining how to find the x - and y -intercepts, and then we will summarize how to graph a linear equation.
Finding the x -intercept
The x-intercept is the x -coordinate of the point at which the graph crosses the x -axis.
Notice that the y-coordinate of any point on the x-axis is 0. Therefore, to find the x -intercept of a graph, we can substitute y with 0 in the equation representing this graph. Then, solving it for x, we will get the x -intercept.
Finding the y -intercept
The y-intercept is the y -coordinate of the point at which the graph crosses the y -axis.
In this case, the x-coordinate of any point on the y-axis is 0. Therefore, to find the y -intercept of a graph, we can substitute x with 0 in the equation representing this graph. Then, solving it for y, we will get the y -intercept.
Graphing a Linear Equation
After finding the x- and y-intercept of a linear function, we can plot them on a coordinate plane. Then, to draw the line, we can connect the points with a straight line. This will be the graph of our linear equation!
