What is the x and y intercept of x-y=5?

1 Answer
Nov 30, 2014

Intercepts are the points where the graph crosses the coordinate axes.

enter image source here

Notice how at the Y Intercept the value of the x-coordinate is 0, and at the X Intercept, the value of the y-coordinate is 0. We can use this principle to find the x and y intercepts!

1. To find x intercept

Substitute y=0 in the given equation, and solve for x.

x-0=5
x=5

Therefore, x intercept =(5,0)

2. To find y intercept

Substitute x=0 in the given equation, and solve for y.

0-y=5
y=-5

Therefore, y intercept =(0,-5)


Another way to do this in to remember the intercept form of an equation of a line, i.e.,

x/a+y/b=1

where
a is the x-intercept
b is the y-intercept

Given equation: x-y=5
To make the RHS = 1, we'll divide throughout by 5, getting:

x/5-y/5=1

=> x/5+y/-5=1

Notice how this looks like the intercept form of an equation of a line.

Comparing the two equations, we can conclude
a=5 and x intercept=(5,0)
b=-5 and y intercept=(0,-5)