graph the equation x+5y=5

Question

Graph the equation x+5y=5

Answer 1

This equation of a line is in what we call “standard form.”  Equations of a line in standard form look like
      Ax + By = C

Using the standard form of the equation of a line, it is easy to get two points by setting x=0 and then setting y=0.  That’s important because two (separate) points are enough to draw a line.  You could find other points, but these are usually the easiest.
 
First point:  with x=0,   5y=5,   that gives the point  (0,1)

          [note:  this is how we write (x,y) values]

Second point:  with y=0,  x =5   that gives the point (5,0)

            [this was the really easy calculation]
 
On the x-y axis, positive x is to the right of the origin and positive y is above the origin.  So, (0,1) means right 0 (nothing)  and up 1.  And, (5,0) means right 5 (from the origin – always start there) and up 0 (nothing).  Notice that, because we set x=0, we found a point on the y axis.  Also, because we set y=0, we found a point on the x-axis.
 
WyzAnt doesn’t provide graphics or picture capability (they say that this forum is intended to link students and tutors who may then use WyzAnt’s nice online tutoring capability), so PLZ forgive my “grid paper” below.  But, maybe it is good enough to check against your very nice graph.  Here are the two points (marked as "X"); now, draw the line.

<<<<=<<<<<<<<
<<<<=<<<<<<<<
<<<<X<<<<<<<<
====+====X===
<<<<=<<<<<<<< 

Answer 2

If you subtract x, you get 5y = -x + 5. Now divide everything by 5 to get: y = -1/5 x + 1   If you replace x by 0, you get  y = -1/5*0 + 1, so y =1.

 

So the y-intercept = 1 (the point (0,1). The slope = -1/5, so if you come down 1 from (0,1), and go to the right 5, you reach the point (5,0).

 

Now you have 2 points: Draw a straight line through them and beyond, and BINGO! that's your graph.