Question

The x-intercept of a line is –5 and the y-intercept of the line is –2. What is the equation of the line?

y=(-(5/2)x) -5
y=((2/5)x)+2
y=((5/2)x )-2
y=-((2/5)x)-2

Answer 1

Lines are of the form: y = mx + b

First useful information is the y-int. This is our b, which in this case is -2. So we already know it has to the be the third or fourth equation.

Now the x-int is -5. So if our line is passing through the point (0,-2) due to the y-int, then we know to reach (-5,0), we would need to move up 2 units, and to the left 5 units. Slope is our m, and is defined as rise over run. So we would get a slope that is 2 up/5 left, or -2/5. Therefore, the answer is the final equation:

y = -2/5 x - 2