Chapter 8: Problem 58
How do we know that the graph of \(y=-4 x\) is a straight line that contains the origin?
Short Answer
Expert verified
The graph is a straight line with slope -4, and it contains the origin because the y-intercept is 0.
Step by step solution
01
Identify the equation format
The given equation is \(y = -4x\). This is a linear equation in the slope-intercept form, \(y = mx + b\), where \(m\) is the slope and \(b\) is the y-intercept.
02
Determine the slope and y-intercept
From the equation \(y = -4x\), we identify that the slope \(m = -4\) and the y-intercept \(b = 0\). This means the graph of the equation will be a line with a slope of \(-4\) and it crosses the y-axis at the origin (0,0).
03
Reason why the graph passes through the origin
The y-intercept \(b = 0\) indicates the point where the line crosses the y-axis. Since \(b = 0\), the line passes through the origin (0,0).
04
Verify with a point calculation
To confirm that the line contains the origin, substitute \(x = 0\) into the equation: \(y = -4(0) = 0\). This confirms that the point (0,0) lies on the line, meaning the graph indeed passes through the origin.
05
Visualize the line
A linear equation like \(y = -4x\) always results in a straight line. The equation has no additional powers of \(x\), which confirms that the graph of this equation is a straight line.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Slope-Intercept Form
The slope-intercept form is a way to describe a straight line using an easy-to-understand equation. It's written as \(y = mx + b\). Here, \(m\) represents the slope of the line and \(b\) represents the y-intercept. This form helps us quickly recognize key characteristics of a line just by looking at the equation.
- Slope \((m)\): Indicates how steep the line is. A positive slope means the line goes upwards as you move from left to right, while a negative slope, like \(-4\), means the line goes downwards.
- Y-intercept \((b)\): Points to the spot where the line crosses the y-axis. In our exercise, \(b = 0\), indicating the line passes through the origin.
Graphing Linear Equations
Graphing linear equations involves plotting points on a coordinate plane that satisfy the equation. This process, for the given equation \(y = -4x\), allows us to see the straight line visually. Here's how we can map it out:
- Start with the y-intercept: Since the y-intercept \(b = 0\), the line passes through the origin, (0, 0).
- Use the slope: The slope, \(-4\), shows for each unit increase in \(x\), \(y\) decreases by 4 units. If you move 1 unit to the right on the x-axis, you move down 4 units on the y-axis.
- Plot more points: From the origin, go straight down 4 units while moving right 1 unit, and plot the next point.
- Draw the line: Connect the points you've mapped out, and extend the line to fill the graph.
Y-Intercept
The y-intercept is an important concept in graphing because it's the point at which a line crosses the y-axis. In slope-intercept form \(y = mx + b\), the y-intercept is represented by \(b\). For the equation \(y = -4x\), the y-intercept is 0.
This means the graph crosses the y-axis at the origin, (0, 0). The y-intercept provides a starting point for graphing the line.
This means the graph crosses the y-axis at the origin, (0, 0). The y-intercept provides a starting point for graphing the line.
- If \(b > 0\), the line would cross the y-axis above the origin.
- If \(b < 0\), the line crosses below the origin.
- When \(b = 0\), as in our example, the line crosses the y-axis exactly at the origin.