to find the intercepts of: 6x-2y=12, i have to simplify the entire equation right?

Question

zepdrix · Answer

Yes! :) Let's get the equation into slope-intercept form first.

y=mx+b
So we want to get y by it's lonely self. Do you need some help with that step? :)

anonymous · Answer

Constant-divided-by-coefficient works well too.

anonymous · Answer

Slope-intercept form is not necessary to find intercepts.

anonymous · Answer

so it would be
 -2y=-6+12 
y=-3-6 ?

anonymous · Answer

(It's still good to have anyway . . .)

Oops, you lost an x there.

zepdrix · Answer

Woops! Your x fell out somewhere :O

zepdrix · Answer

What's wrong with slope-intercept form cliff? :| it's much to use than that ugly point slope form...

zepdrix · Answer

much nicer*

anonymous · Answer

y=-3x-6 ?

anonymous · Answer

OP is looking for intercepts, not a graph.

zepdrix · Answer

Yay gj briana c:

anonymous · Answer

so how do i find the intercepts?

zepdrix · Answer

woops, i think the x is positive c:
Make a little boo boo in there? Hmm

anonymous · Answer

In general, though, if you have a linear equation in standard form, 
Ax+By=C, 
the x-intercept is given by C/A, and the y-intercept is C/B.

This is equivalent to setting y=0 and solving for x to get x-intercept, and then setting x=0 and solving for y to get y-intercept, except it gets both intercepts simultaneously with no manipulation of the equation whatsoever.

zepdrix · Answer

Oh i see c:

anonymous · Answer

I figured, since that's what Brianna asked for, might as well go directly to it.

Slope-intercept form is still great for graphing, and I recommend doing that too to verify the intercepts pictorially.

anonymous · Answer

so its (2,0) and (0,6) ?

anonymous · Answer

(as an aside, another handy thing to do sometimes is to divide every term in the equation by their greatest common factor to get an equivalent equation with smaller coefficients. i.e. 6x-2y=12 ÷ 2 -> 3x-y=6. This new equation is equivalent because it has the same solutions.

anonymous · Answer

Don't forget to include the negative sign with the coefficient.

anonymous · Answer

The y-intercept would be 12 ÷ -2 (or 6 ÷ -1) = -6

anonymous · Answer

(0,-6) ?

anonymous · Answer

Now you got it.
Try graphing that line to see that it actually does go through those intercepts.