Question

How to find the x and y-intercept given `y= -1/2x - 4`?

Answer 1

The y-intercept is the value of `y` at the point when the graph of the function crosses the y-axis; along the y-axis the value of `x` is `x=0`
So `y=-1/2x-4`
becomes `y= -1/2(0) -4= -4`
The y-intercept is `(-4)`

Conversely the x-intercept occurs when `y=0`
`y=-1/2x-4`
becomes
`0=-1/2x-4`
`1/2x=-4`
`x=-8`
The x-intercept is `(-8)`