How do you do the intercept? - Answers

A linear equation should look (or can be made to look) like this: Ax+By+C = 0. Usually A is a natural number and B and C are integers. To find the y-intercept, let x = 0 and solve for y. Call the answer b. Then the y-intercept is b, and the point on the y-axis where the line crosses is (0,b). To find the x-intercept, let y = 0 and solve for x. Call the answer a. Then the x-intercept is a, and the point on the x-axis where the line crosses is (a,0). This method can be used whatever form the linear equation is in. Here is a quick way to find the intercepts: Question: Find the intercepts of 3x -2y = 6 Solution: Write down the pattern (0, __ ), ( __ , 0). To fill the first blank, put 0 in for x. Since 3x will = 3(0) = 0, cover up the "3x" in the question, either with your finger or mentally, and solve the remaining equation mentally: -2y = 6; y = 6/-2; y = -3. Now we have (0,-3), ( __ , 0). In the same way, put 0 in for y and find that 3x = 2 => x = 2, giving (0,-3), (2,0). The y-intercept is -3 and the x-intercept is 2. The associated points are (0,-3) and (2,0).