Question

How do you graph `y = 1/5x + 3` and find the intercepts?

Answer 1

First find and plot the intercept points (see below) then draw a line through those points to graph the equation.

Explanation:

The y-intercept is the value of `y` when `x=0`
Evaluating `y=1/5x+3` with `x=0` gives `y=1/5 * 0 + 3 =3`
So the y-intercept is at `y=3` or the point `(0,3)`

Similarly, the x-intercept is the value of `x` when `y=0`
Evaluating `y=1/5x+3` with `y=0` gives `0 = 1/5x+3 rarr 1/5x=-3 rarr x=-15`
So the x-intercept is at `x=-15` or the point `(-15,0)`

Plotting the points `(0,3)` and `(-15,0)` then drawing a line through them should give a graph of the form: