How Do You Graph Linear Equations Using The Slope & The Y Intercept?
The slope-intercept form of a linear equation, in contrast to the standard form, is a powerful tool for graphing and visualizing linear relationships. In the slope-intercept form, the relevant aspects of a line are immediately apparent, and the relationship between the two variables is easy to visualize. Graphing, then, becomes a task of either mapping out the line’s slope and y-intercept or plotting individual points using the slope-intercept equation. Write the equation in slope-intercept form (y = mx + b). For example, if the equation is written 4x + 2y = 10, rewrite it by isolating and solving for y: 2y = -4x + 10 y = -2x + 5 Locate the y-intercept (the b value in y = mx + b). In the example given, the y-intercept is 5. In other words, when x = 0, y = 5. The line crosses the y-axis at y = 5. Mark that point on the y-axis of your graph. Locate the slope of your line (the m value in y = mx + b). This tells you how many spaces you move up for each space moved over. For example, if you
