Chapter 1: Problem 46
Give the slope and \(y\)-intercept of each line whose equation is given. Then graph the linear function. $$y=-\frac{2}{5} x+6$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The slope of the function \(y=-\frac{2}{5}x+6\) is -\frac{2}{5} and the y-intercept is 6.
Step by step solution
01
Identify the slope
The slope (\(m\)) is the coefficient of \(x\) in the given equation. So for the equation \(y=-\frac{2}{5}x+6\), the slope is equal to -\frac{2}{5}.
02
Identify the y-intercept
The y-intercept (\(b\)) is the constant in the equation. So for the equation \(y=-\frac{2}{5}x+6\), the y-intercept is equal to 6
03
Plot the y-intercept
Begin by plotting the y-intercept on the graph at the point where \(y=6\). This is the point where the line crosses the y-axis.
04
Use the slope to plot the next point
The slope -\frac{2}{5} means that for each movement of 5 units to the right on the x-axis, we move 2 units down on the y-axis. From the y-intercept point, move 5 units to right and 2 units down to determine the next point that the line goes through.
05
Draw the line
Draw a straight line that passes through the y-intercept and the point determined by the slope. This line represents the graph of the function \(y=-\frac{2}{5}x+6\).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Understanding Slope
When talking about linear equations, the slope is a crucial component to understand. The slope, often represented by the letter \( m \), tells us how steep a line is. It indicates the ratio of the change in the y-coordinate to the change in the x-coordinate between any two points on a line. In simple terms, it shows how much the y-value increases or decreases as the x-value increases by one unit.
- If the slope is positive, it means the line rises as you move from left to right.
- If the slope is negative, the line falls as you move from left to right.
- A larger absolute value of the slope indicates a steeper line.
- If the slope is zero, the line is perfectly horizontal.
Defining Y-Intercept
The y-intercept is the point where the line crosses the y-axis. It is an essential concept in graphing because it provides a starting point for plotting a linear function. In the slope-intercept form of a linear equation, \( y = mx + b \), the \( b \) represents the y-intercept. This means when \( x = 0 \), \( y \) will be equal to \( b \).
- The y-intercept is always located at the point \((0, b)\) on the graph.
- If a line crosses the y-axis higher up, it will have a larger y-intercept value.
- If it crosses lower down, it will have a smaller y-intercept value.
Graphing Linear Functions
Graphing a linear function involves using the slope and y-intercept we have identified to create a visual representation on a coordinate plane. The process can be straightforward once you understand the relationship between these two elements.
To graph a linear equation such as \( y = -\frac{2}{5}x + 6 \):
To graph a linear equation such as \( y = -\frac{2}{5}x + 6 \):
- Start by plotting the y-intercept. This is where the line crosses the y-axis, so you would place a point at the coordinate \((0, 6)\).
- Next, use the slope to find another point on the line. From the y-intercept, move 5 units to the right (because of the slope denominator) and 2 units down (because of the slope numerator being negative).
- Plot this new point. It provides a second point the line must pass through.
- For extra accuracy, you can continue moving along the slope to plot more points.
- Finally, draw a straight line through these two points. Extend it across the graph to show that it continues indefinitely in both directions.