document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=76204>Question 76204</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> x-3y=-9 how do you graph this? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #54707 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><B>bucky(2189)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><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/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=54707\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Given:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "x - 3y = -9<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "This is a linear equation in standard form.  Probably the easiest way to determine <BR>\n" );
document.write( "the graph for this form is by using the following procedure.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "You can draw the graph by first recognizing that when x equals zero the corresponding<BR>\n" );
document.write( "answer for y is on the y-axis.  Similarly, when y equals zero, the corresponding value of <BR>\n" );
document.write( "x is on the x-axis.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So let's begin by going to the given equation and substituting 0 for x to get:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "0 - 3y = -9<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Solve for y by dividing both sides by -3 to get y = +3.  So you now know that the point<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(0, +3) is on the graph and this point is on the y-axis.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Now return to the given equation and substitute 0 for y.  When you make that substitution<BR>\n" );
document.write( "the equation becomes:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "x - (3*0) = -9<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "which you can see leads to x = -9.  This gives us the point (-9, 0) which is on the graph<BR>\n" );
document.write( "and is a point on the x-axis.  <BR>\n" );
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document.write( "At this stage you have two points on the graph ... (0, +3) and (-9, 0).  Plot these two<BR>\n" );
document.write( "points and then use a straight edge to extend a line in both directions through these<BR>\n" );
document.write( "two points. This is the graph for this problem.  Once you have the graph, it is probably<BR>\n" );
document.write( "a good idea to find a point on the graph, and substitute its x and y values into the<BR>\n" );
document.write( "original equation to ensure that the equation still balances.  This will help to verify that<BR>\n" );
document.write( "the graph is correct for the given equation.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Hope this process makes sense to you and that it helps you to understand graphing <BR>\n" );
document.write( "linear equations. </SPAN>\n" );
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