How do you graph 3x+y<5?

1 Answer
Jun 22, 2015
  1. The first step is to treat the inequality as an equality.
    3x + y = 5

  2. Then find coordinates that will create the border of the area that is represented by the inequality.
    (I usually rewrite the equation into slope-intercept form
    y = -3x + 5 and graph that.)

  3. Instead of graphing a straight line use a dotted line, since the original inequality 3x + y < 5 is less than rather then less than or equal.
    graph{3x + y < 5 [-10, 10, -5, 5]}

  4. To decide which side of the line to graph, pick a coordinate pair on either side of dotted line. (I usually use (0, 0) ) and see if it makes the inequality true.
    ex. Is (0, 0) part of the solution set ?
    3x + y < 5
    3(0) +0 < 5
    0 < 5 is a true statement so the left side of the dotted line should be shaded

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