x-4y+12=0 to y=mx+b

Question

If this equation is -4y=-x-12 why is the next step y=x/4+12/4. I thought the 4 and 12 was suppose to be negative since i rearranged the equation

Answer 1

Alesia,

your goal is to have positive y on the left hand side.

 

you start with 

-4y = -x - 12, as you said.

since you want positive y on the left, you need to divide both sides by (-4)

 

-4y/(-4) = -x/(-4) -12/(-4)

Simplifying:

y = x/4 + 12/4

 

Does this make it clearer?