document.write( "Question 805791: Write an equation of the line whose x-intercept is 5 and y-intercept is -3. \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #485501 by KMST(5328) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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$\"highlight%28x%2F5%2By%2F%28-3%29=1%29\"$ is the fastest answer.
\n" ); document.write( "You could call that the intercepts form of the equation for the line.
\n" ); document.write( "If a line passes through points (a, 0) and (0, b), its x- and y-intercepts,
\n" ); document.write( "then $\"x%2Fa%2By%2Fb=1\"$ is an equation that represents the line.
\n" ); document.write( "You may have been taught such a form, with that name or another name
\n" ); document.write( "Since some people do not like denominators, I could multiply both sides of the equal sign times 15 to get
\n" ); document.write( " $\"highlight%283x-5y=15%29\"$
\n" ); document.write( "Multiplying times other factors you can get a variety of answers.
\n" ); document.write( "You can also solve for y to get the unique equation in slope intercept form
\n" ); document.write( " $\"15=3x-5y\"$ --> $\"5y=3x-15\"$ --> $\"highlight%28y=%283%2F5%29x-3%29\"$
\n" ); document.write( "If you had not been shown the fact that
\n" ); document.write( "\"if a line passes through points (a, 0) and (0, b), its x- and y-intercepts,
\n" ); document.write( " $\"x%2Fa%2By%2Fb=1\"$ is an equation that represents the line,\"
\n" ); document.write( "then you could easily write a system of equations by plugging in the coordinates of those intercepts into $\"y=mx%2Bb\"$ .
\n" ); document.write( "Solving the system would get you $\"m\"$ and $\"b\"$ , and then you could write the equation in the $\"y=mx%2Bb\"$ form.
\n" ); document.write( " $\"system%28-3=m%2A0%2Bb%2C0=m%2A5%2Bb%29\"$ --> $\"system%28b=-3%2C5m-3=0%29\"$ --> $\"system%28b=-3%2C5m=3%29\"$ --> $\"highlight%28system%28b=-3%2Cm=3%2F5%29%29\"$ \n" ); document.write( "

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