How to Graph an Equation
Making graphs of equations seems like a very difficult task, especially when you are dealing with algebra for the first time. However, graphing an equation is not much more difficult than graphing anything else, and that isn't very hard to do. Learning how to graph an equation will help you succeed in your algebra class and will give you the necessary skills to continue learning higher levels of mathematics.
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Instructions
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Draw a vertical line on a sheet of graph paper using and a horizontal line that crosses the vertical line. Use a pencil to make the drawing. The vertical line will be the y axis and the horizontal line will be the x axis. The point where the x and y axis meet has a value of zero, the numbers to the right and to the top will be positive while the numbers to the bottom and to the left will be negative.
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Assign two different values for x arbitrarily. For example, if you have an equation such as y = 5x + 3, then you can assign values for x such as negative eight and four.
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Solve for y using one of the arbitrary values for x. For example, if you used four as the value for x, then your equation would be y = 5(4) + 3; which is y = 20 + 3; which is y = 23.
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Plot a point on the graph using the first solution. In the example, the first solution leads to x = 4 and y = 23 so you would put a dot at the point in the graph that is four numbers to the right and 23 numbers up.
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Solve for y using the second of the arbitrary values for x. For example, if you used negative eight as the second value for x, then your equation would be = 5(-8) + 3; which is y = -40 + 3; which is y = -37
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Plot a point on the graph using the second solution. In the example, the second solution leads to x = -8 and y = -37 so you would put a dot at the point in the graph that is eight numbers to the left and 37 numbers down.
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Draw a line to connect the two dots that were plotted using the first and second solutions. Once the line connecting the two solutions together is drawn, you'll have the graph for your equation. In the example, the line drawn would graph the equation y = 5x + 3.
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