# What is the slope and intercept for y=1/2x-3 and how would you graph it?

Oct 10, 2015

#### Answer:

slope = 1/2, y-int = -3.

#### Explanation:

We know that straight lines use equation:

$y = m x + b$
where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept.

If y is by itself on one side of the equals sign, then slope is always the number in front of x, and the y-intecept is always the number by itself (without an x)

In this case:
$m = \frac{1}{2}$ (slope)

and

$b = - 3$ (y-intercept)

The graph looks like this:
graph{y=.5x-3 [-10, 10, -5, 5]}

How do you make the graph? Pick an x value, plug into the equation, and then see what y you get. Put that (x,y) point on the graph. Do this for a few points and then connect the dots.

ex:

• x=0
$y = \left(\frac{1}{2} \setminus \times 0\right) - 3$
$y = - 3$
$\left(x , y\right) = \left(0 , - 3\right)$

• x=1
$y = \left(\frac{1}{2} \setminus \times 1\right) - 3$
$y = \frac{1}{2} - 3$
$y = - 2.5$
$\left(x , y\right) = \left(1 , - 2.5\right)$

• x=6
$y = \left(\frac{1}{2} \setminus \times 6\right) - 3$
$y = 3 - 3$
$y = 0$
$\left(x , y\right) = \left(6 , 0\right)$