Question 118545
I'm assuming that you have an equation in two variables, such as x and y.


Make a large letter T on your paper.  On top of one arm of the T write one of the variables, say x.  On top of the other arm of the T write the other variable, y perhaps.


Choose some values for x.  If you have a linear equation, that is there are no exponents or terms that have the two variables multiplied together, {{{xy}}} for example, then you only need to choose two values.  Higher degree equations require more values be chosen and some analysis to determine which values to choose.  For linear equations, choose any values you want.  I usually pick 0 and 1 because it tends to make the arithmetic easier.  Write these values under the x in a column.  If your x or other independant variable is in a denominator in your equation, make sure you don't select a value that would make the denominator be zero.


Once you have chosen your values for x, substitute each of the values chosen for x in the equation and solve for the other variable.  Enter each of the y values you calculate next to the corresponding x value in your T table.


For each of the chosen values of the independent variable you will have a value for the dependent variable.  Each pair of values now creates an ordered pair (x,y) that can be plotted on a representation of the {{{R^2}}} plane -- a piece of graph paper for example.


Hope that helps.

John