SOLUTION: what is a linear equation? and how do u do it? how is it set out on a page?

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Question 3386: what is a linear equation?
and how do u do it?
how is it set out on a page?
Answer by drglass(89) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
A linear equation is on that make a line when graphed in Cartesian coordinates. It has the form y = mx + b where m is the slope (steepness) of the line and b is the point at which the line intersects the y-axis. It is called the y-intercept. If you are not clear look at the graph below:
graph%28300%2C200%2C-5%2C5%2C-5%2C5%2Cx+-+2%29

There are two thick red lines on this graph, the horizontal line is the x-axis, the vertical is the y-axis. Notice that the line crosses the y axis at -2 on that axis. Therefore the y-intercept or b is -2. The line rises from -2 on the y-axis to 2 on the x-axis, in other words for every one unit of rise on the y axis, it move 1 unit to the right on the x-axis. This means the slope is 1.

To write the equation for this line we write:

y = x -2