How to Do Algebraic Graphs
Algebra can be a useful tool for understanding geometry. Using an algebraic equation, it is possible to create a visual representation of the numbers that the equation represents. This is an important concept, as it allows abstract equations like y = 14x - 4 to be used to represent and understand a concrete series of numbers. Creating an algebraic graph can be done in a series of short steps.
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Instructions
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1
Label the coordinate system, with numbers representing each line on the graph paper.
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2
Find three ordered pair solutions of the equation you are graphing. For example, if the equation you are graphing is y = 14x - 4, choose three values for x, then solve for y. As an example, if the three values you choose are -2, 0 and 2, then you plug each value into the equation. Plugging in x = -2 into the equation makes
y = 14(-2) - 4 = -32.
Therefore, the ordered pair is (-2, -32). Solving the equation for the other values of x gives the ordered pairs (0, -4) and (2, 24).
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3
Plot the three ordered pairs on the graph paper and draw a dot at each point.
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4
Place the ruler on the graph paper so it is touching the three plotted points, and draw a straight line connecting them. This is the graph of the equation y = 14x - 4.
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Tips & Warnings
If the equation does not have the form y = mx + b (also written in the standard form Ax + By = C), then the equation will not be a straight line, and you will have to draw a curve on the graph without the use of a ruler.
References
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