document.write( "Question 20360: Help - I'm a mom trying to help my son with his pre-algebra.
\n" ); document.write( "The Prentice Hall book says to Graph the equation.
\n" ); document.write( "4x + y = -3
\n" ); document.write( "We've been able to solve for x
\n" ); document.write( "by x + y = -3/4
\n" ); document.write( "then x = -3/4 - y
\n" ); document.write( "This matches up with the answer in the back of the book - it shows the graph -
\n" ); document.write( "but can't figure out how to solve for y.
\n" ); document.write( "Any help would be gratefully appreciated. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #9811 by ichudov(507)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
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Solved by pluggable solver: DESCRIBE a linear EQUATION: slope, intercepts, etc
Equation \"4+x+%2B+1+y+=+-3\" describes a sloping line. For any
\n" ); document.write( " equation ax+by+c = 0, slope is \"-a%2Fb+=+-4%2F1\".
  • X intercept is found by setting y to 0: ax+by=c becomes ax=c. that means that x = c/a. -3/4 = -0.75.
  • Y intercept is found by setting x to 0: the equation becomes by=c, and therefore y = c/b. Y intercept is -3/1 = -3.
  • Slope is -4/1 = -4.
  • Equation in slope-intercept form: y=-4*x+-3.
\"graph%28+500%2C+500%2C+-0.75-8%2C+-0.75%2B8%2C+-3-8%2C+-3%2B8%2C+-4%2Ax%2B-3+%29+\"\n" ); document.write( "
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