Exercise 49 Page 313

Equations written in slope-intercept form follow a specific format. y= mx+ b In this form, m represents the slope of the line and b represents the y-intercept.

Identifying the Slope and y-intercept

Since the given equation is not in slope-intercept form, let's rewrite it so that it will be easier to identify the slope and y-intercept.

Below we highlight the slope m and y-intercept b. y= - 2x ⇔ y= - 2x+ 0 The slope is - 2. The y-intercept is 0, so the graph crosses the y-axis at the point (0, 0).

Graphing the Equation

A slope of - 2 means that for every 1 unit we move in the positive horizontal direction, we move 2 units in the negative vertical direction. m= - 2/1 ⇔ rise/run=- 2/1 To graph the equation, plot the y-intercept and then use the slope to find another point on the line.