Step 1. Pick a value for x. It can be anything you like, but 0, 1, or some other small integer usually works well and makes the arithmetic easier.
Step 2. Substitute that value in place of x in your equation. Do the arithmetic and determine the value of y that results.
Step 3. Take the value of x that you selected for step 1 and the value of y that you calculated in step 2 and form an ordered pair (x,y).
Step 4. Plot the ordered pair from Step 3 on your graph. Remember that the x value is the distance right or left along the horizontal axis and the y value is the distance up or down along the vertical axis.
Step 5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 four more times with a different value for x each time. Check that the five points all lie in a straight line -- if not, you have made an arithmetic mistake somewhere. Go back and check your work. If so, go on to step 6.
Step 6. Draw a line across your graph that passes through the five points that you plotted.
