Plotting the Lines on the Axes

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 54 views

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Introduction

In mathematics, a system of linear equations is a set of two or more linear equations that are solved simultaneously to find the values of the variables. There are several methods to solve a system of linear equations, including substitution, elimination, and graphical methods. In this article, we will focus on solving a system of linear equations graphically using a set of axes.

Understanding the Problem

The problem provides two linear equations:

$y = \frac{1}{2}x + 4$
$x + y = -8$

Our goal is to solve this system of equations graphically by plotting the two lines on a set of axes and finding the point of intersection.

Plotting the First Line

To plot the first line, we need to find two points on the line. We can do this by substituting different values of $x$ into the equation and solving for $y$ .

Let's substitute $x = 0$ into the equation:

$y = \frac{1}{2}(0) + 4$ $y = 4$

So, the point $(0, 4)$ lies on the line.

Next, let's substitute $x = 8$ into the equation:

$y = \frac{1}{2}(8) + 4$ $y = 4 + 4$ $y = 8$

So, the point $(8, 8)$ also lies on the line.

Plotting the Second Line

To plot the second line, we need to find two points on the line. We can do this by substituting different values of $x$ into the equation and solving for $y$ .

Let's substitute $x = 0$ into the equation:

$0 + y = -8$ $y = -8$

So, the point $(0, -8)$ lies on the line.

Next, let's substitute $x = -8$ into the equation:

$-8 + y = -8$ $y = -8 + 8$ $y = 0$

So, the point $(-8, 0)$ also lies on the line.

Plotting the Lines on the Axes

Now that we have found two points on each line, we can plot the lines on the axes.

The first line passes through the points $(0, 4)$ and $(8, 8)$ . We can plot this line by drawing a straight line through these two points.

The second line passes through the points $(0, -8)$ and $(-8, 0)$ . We can plot this line by drawing a straight line through these two points.

Finding the Point of Intersection

The point of intersection of the two lines is the solution to the system of equations. To find the point of intersection, we need to find the point where the two lines cross.

From the graph, we can see that the two lines intersect at the point $(x, y) = (-4, -4)$ .

Conclusion

In this article, we have solved a system of linear equations graphically using a set of axes. We plotted the two lines on the axes and found the point of intersection, which is the solution to the system of equations.

Step-by-Step Solution

Here is a step-by-step solution to the problem:

Plot the first line on the axes by drawing a straight line through the points $(0, 4)$ and $(8, 8)$ .
Plot the second line on the axes by drawing a straight line through the points $(0, -8)$ and $(-8, 0)$ .
Find the point of intersection of the two lines by looking for the point where the two lines cross.
The point of intersection is the solution to the system of equations.

Graphical Solution

Here is a graphical solution to the problem:

[Insert graph of the two lines]

The two lines intersect at the point $(x, y) = (-4, -4)$ .

Final Answer

The final answer is $\boxed{(-4, -4)}$ .

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Introduction

In our previous article, we solved a system of linear equations graphically using a set of axes. We plotted the two lines on the axes and found the point of intersection, which is the solution to the system of equations. In this article, we will answer some frequently asked questions about solving a system of linear equations graphically.

Q&A

Q: What is the purpose of solving a system of linear equations graphically?

A: The purpose of solving a system of linear equations graphically is to find the point of intersection of the two lines, which is the solution to the system of equations.

Q: How do I plot a line on the axes?

A: To plot a line on the axes, you need to find two points on the line. You can do this by substituting different values of $x$ into the equation and solving for $y$ . Then, you can plot the line by drawing a straight line through the two points.

Q: What if the two lines do not intersect?

A: If the two lines do not intersect, then the system of equations has no solution. This means that the two lines are parallel and will never intersect.

Q: How do I find the point of intersection of the two lines?

A: To find the point of intersection of the two lines, you need to look for the point where the two lines cross. You can do this by plotting the two lines on the axes and finding the point where they intersect.

Q: What if the point of intersection is not an integer?

A: If the point of intersection is not an integer, then you can approximate the solution by using a calculator or a computer program to find the decimal value of the point of intersection.

Q: Can I use other methods to solve a system of linear equations?

A: Yes, you can use other methods to solve a system of linear equations, such as substitution, elimination, and matrices. However, the graphical method is a useful tool for visualizing the solution to the system of equations.

Q: What are some real-world applications of solving a system of linear equations?

A: Solving a system of linear equations has many real-world applications, such as finding the intersection of two roads, determining the cost of producing a product, and predicting the behavior of a system.

Example Problems

Here are some example problems to help you practice solving a system of linear equations graphically:

Example 1

Solve the system of equations:

$y = 2x + 1$ $x + y = 3$

Example 2

Solve the system of equations:

$y = -x + 2$ $x + y = 1$

Example 3

Solve the system of equations:

$y = x - 1$ $x + y = 2$

Solutions

Here are the solutions to the example problems:

Example 1

The solution to the system of equations is $(x, y) = (1, 2)$ .

Example 2

The solution to the system of equations is $(x, y) = (0, 1)$ .

Example 3

The solution to the system of equations is $(x, y) = (1, 0)$ .

Conclusion

In this article, we have answered some frequently asked questions about solving a system of linear equations graphically. We have also provided some example problems to help you practice solving a system of linear equations graphically. Remember to plot the two lines on the axes and find the point of intersection to solve the system of equations.

Final Answer

The final answer is $\boxed{(1, 2), (0, 1), (1, 0)}$ .