Can anyone help me by explaining how to graph an equation?

Question

I have not a clue what my teacher is talking about and I've failed every test on it to date. Can someone who knows what they are doing break it down step by step for me plz?

Answer 1

Sure. Give me an equation that your teacher want you to graph. I'll be up another 30 min.

Answer 2

in an equation you have 2 different variables: x and y, y being up and down, x being right and left, you graph something by puting in a number into one of the variables and then solve the equation and now you will have 2 numbers, the number you put in for a variable and the one you came up w/ do this 3 times and you can make a basic graph, has your teach told you about a t chart,
it looks something like this
X | Y
====
|
|
|

if you have an equation such as x + 2y = 4
take ez numbers like 0 2 4 -2
X | Y
====
0 |2
2 |1
4 |0
-2|3

now the t chart just made 4 "coordinates" or points on the graph, plot them remember x is right and left and y is up and down
so if the coordinates are (0,2) (2,1) (4,0) (-2,3)
you have 0,2 thats 0 on the right and left, but 2 on the up and down and so on, 2,1: 2 to the right and 1 up, then in cases like -2,3 its 2 to the left and 3 up, on a graph there are 4 different parts to it the top right are (+,+) the top left is (-,+), the left bottom is (-,-) and bottom right is (+,-) if the x is positive you go right, negative go left, if the y is positive go up and if negative go down

many equations wont be that easy obviously but pick 0 almost all the time, bc that will get you an easy one rite away, and you can try using 0 for x AND y the t chart works both ways, most ppl will only choose x values, but puting in 0 for y will get you an easy coordinate too, and then pick 1 number that fits good to make another whole number, and then use the negative of it.

hopfully this has been of help to you, i used to teach math back in high school to other students, this has been fun explaining i miss teaching, any other problems you have email me

Answer 3

Blame the French. Rene Descartes in particular.
Ha was flat on his back, watching a fly crawl around on the tiled roof above him. Whether he was hung over at the time is not recorded.
ANYWAY, he realised that the position of the fly could be given by just 2 numbers. "someone kill that fly- hae's walking too loud! The one fives tiles down, and seven tiles across!"

A modern graph shows what to expect when ONE value in a equation is varied. Typically, the value doing the changing is called X, and the result is called Y. If you have a particular value of Y that you want, you can work backwards to see what X needs to be.
In some graphs, when the line "curves", X can have more than on value for the desired Y, or no value is possible.

Answer 4

Let me explain with an example say 2x + 3y = 6.
Rules: 1)always take integer values as far as possible.
2)Create a table as shown in the working always.
3)Get atleast 3 or 4 solutions for the equation.
4)Always start by substituting 0 for any one variable.
Step 1: Wite x or y in terms of the other like this:
y = 6 - 2x / 3.

Step 2: Now all u have to do is substitue valuesfor x to get corresponding values for y. I have shown an eg.:
Putting x = 0 we get y = 6 / 3 = 2.
Putting x = 3 we get y = 6 - 6 /3 = 0.

Step 3: Create a table as follows:
x 0 3 -3 6

y 2 0 4 -2

Step 4: Take a graph paper and construct the Cartesian Co-ordinate system (I hope u know that).
Plot the points and write next to them a name and the co-ordinates like A(0,3).

Step5: Join them and u get a line. Write at one end of the line it's equation like 2x + 3y = 6.

Your graph is ready.

Answer 5

Here's a good website:

http://library.thinkquest.org/20991/alg/CPGraphing.html

I think it explains pretty well because it comes with illustrations. If I needed help, this is where I would go. Also, it's useful because it explains stuff from pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, algebra 2, and even pre-calc and calculus!


Hope I helped!
10 points best answer?

Answer 6

I hope you are referring to a linear equation and this is the end of algebra one or beginning of algebra two. Give an example of the equation you are trying to graph.

Your question is much to vague.

Answer 7

http://www.math.com/school/subject2/lessons/S2U4L2DP.html
http://www.frontiernet.net/~imaging/graph_my_equation.html