document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=357463>Question 357463</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Show that if the x- and y- intercepts of a line are nonzero numbers a and b, then the equation of the line can be written in the form (x/a) + (y/b) = 1.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "The main thing I'm stuck on is what equation to start off with. I've tried point-slope form, and I seem to get there, but I don't understand how to get the 1 into the equation. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #255289 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=scott8148><B>scott8148(6628)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=scott8148><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=scott8148><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=255289\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> x-intercept is (a,0) , and y-intercept is (0,b)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "slope of the line is ___ (0 - b) / (a - 0) = -b/a\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "using point-slope (with y-int) ___ (y - b) = (-b/a)(x - 0) ___ y - b = -bx/a\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "dividing by b ___ (y/b) - 1 = -(x/a)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "adding (x/a)+1 ___ (y/b) + (x/a) = 1 </SPAN>\n" );
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