Getting started

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atw

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Apr 8, 2008
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Hello. I need help getting started. My equation is-- y=-1 (-5,5)

please help me to set this problem up...I'm confused. Thank you!!
 
Looks like you have listed the info that was given, but you didn't state what the problem wants you to do with it.

What does the problem say (exactly)
Then we can help
 
Write the slope-intercept form of the equation of the line described.

Thank you!
 
I'm sorry the equation is: through (-5,5) parallel to y=-1

Thank you!!
 
The slope intercept is written in the form
y=mx + b [ where m represents the slope and b represents the y intercept]

your equation is

y= -1

which can be written as
y= 0x -1

This means that there is no slope ( no rise of the line as you run along the length of the line)
It is a flat line ( parallel to the x axis) going thru the point -1

If you plotted some point from this equation it might look like this

x , y
2 ,-1
0, -1
-3, -1
73,-1

note that x can be any number, but the y is always -1

If you plot these points you can see that the line is parallel to the x axis.

So to draw a line parallel to the line y = -1, it has to be parallel to the x axis also (SO IT TO HAS NO SLOPE- or a slope of zero)

can you figure it out from there????

If not, tell me what you think it is and I will show you.
 
I think I understand...I worked it out and I came up with y=-1/5. If not please show me what I did wrong.

This is how I worked it out:

(-5,5) y=-1

5=0(-5)-1
divided both sides by 5

y = -1/5
 
The point (-5,5) has nothing to do with the equation y= -1

You are not being asked to plug the point (-5,5) into the equation

The sole purpose of the equation y = -1 was to give you a reference line because we need a line parallel to it.
Anytime you are asked to write an equation to a line parallel or perpendicular to a given line, then you need to know what the line looks like.




I want you to take the time to actually plot some of the points on a graph
(2,-1) (3,-1) (-4,-1) all of these points come from the equation they gave you y = -1

Now on the same graph I want you to plot that single point that they gave you (-5,5)
[It should be a few notches above the line you drew for y =-1]

Now the problem wanted you to write an equation for the line parallel to y = -1
There are a bazzilion (infinate) number of lines you can draw that are parallel to the line you drew ( y = -1)

but only one of those lines which are parallel, goes thru the point (-5,5)

draw the parallel line that goes thru the point (-5,5)

The equation you have to write for the line you just drew that is parallel to the line y=-1 is written in form y = mx + b

the b part of this equation that you have to write is where your line crosses the y axis ( b represents the y intercept)

and that is why they call y = mx + b the slope intercept form of an equation.

Look at your line that you drew parallel to y = -1 and note where it crosses the y axis.
This is the number you will put in place of the (b) in the equation y = mx + b

Since your line is parallel to the line y = -1, it has the same slope (zero) There is a method to finding slopes given a line which I can help you with should you need to find one, but you should remember the following.... Parallel lines have the same slope

So the slope for your line parallel to y=-1 has a slope of 0

So write the equation plugging in 0 for the slope (m) and the number where it crossed the y axis for the (b).

So what do you end up with? I will let you know if you got it right or I will explain more.
 
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