Graphing Linear EquationsA series of free Basic Algebra Lessons from Brightstorm online Algebra series.
Intercepts of Linear Equations The x- and y-intercepts of a line, or linear equation intercepts, are often used in problems involving lines and their graphs. Linear equation intercepts are important points to be able to understand and decipher in applications of linear equations problems and can also be used when graphing lines. The y-intercept is used when writing an equation in slope-intercept form.
Graphing Lines Using Intercepts We use many different techniques to graph lines, but one of the most efficient and straightforward, when given the equation of the line, is graphing lines using intercepts. If we are not given a table of values, the easiest two points to find are usually the x- and y-intercepts. Graphing lines using intercepts is not the only method, we can also graph using the slope and the y-intercept.
Point-Slope Form of Linear Equations Sometimes we're only given a couple of points on a line and then asked to write a linear equation. When given this information, it's easiest to use point slope form. Point slope form can be written using one point and the slope or when given two points since we can calculate the slope from the two points. Once we have an equation in point slope form it can be rewritten in slope-intercept or standard form.
Parallel and Perpendicular Lines There are special rules to help us find the equation of a line given an equation of a line that is parallel or perpendicular to it. Parallel and perpendicular lines have related slopes. Parallel lines have equivalent slopes and perpendicular lines have negative inverses of their slopes. To fully understand and apply this concept, we should be familiar with the slope and the slope-intercept form of an equation.
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