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| Question 76204:  x-3y=-9 how do you graph this?
 Answer by bucky(2189)
      (Show Source): 
You can put this solution on YOUR website! Given: .
 x - 3y = -9
 .
 This is a linear equation in standard form.  Probably the easiest way to determine
 the graph for this form is by using the following procedure.
 .
 You can draw the graph by first recognizing that when x equals zero the corresponding
 answer for y is on the y-axis.  Similarly, when y equals zero, the corresponding value of
 x is on the x-axis.
 .
 So let's begin by going to the given equation and substituting 0 for x to get:
 .
 0 - 3y = -9
 .
 Solve for y by dividing both sides by -3 to get y = +3.  So you now know that the point
 (0, +3) is on the graph and this point is on the y-axis.
 .
 Now return to the given equation and substitute 0 for y.  When you make that substitution
 the equation becomes:
 .
 x - (3*0) = -9
 .
 which you can see leads to x = -9.  This gives us the point (-9, 0) which is on the graph
 and is a point on the x-axis.
 .
 At this stage you have two points on the graph ... (0, +3) and (-9, 0).  Plot these two
 points and then use a straight edge to extend a line in both directions through these
 two points. This is the graph for this problem.  Once you have the graph, it is probably
 a good idea to find a point on the graph, and substitute its x and y values into the
 original equation to ensure that the equation still balances.  This will help to verify that
 the graph is correct for the given equation.
 .
 Hope this process makes sense to you and that it helps you to understand graphing
 linear equations.
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