(5.

2)
GRAPHING LINEAR
FUNCTIONS
 Different Equations for Lines
• y = mx + b Slope-Intercept Form

• Ax + By = C Standard Form

So, if an equation can be written in

any of these forms, then it
represents a line. It is called a linear
function.
 Graphs of Linear Functions
METHODS:
x y
• By making a table of
values
• By using the slope,
m, and y-intercept, b
• By using the x- and
y-intercepts
• By using your
graphing calculator
 Using a Table
• Make a table of values
using x = -3, -2, -1, 0, Example:
1, 2, 3 y = 2x - 1
(If these values don’t
give you a good graph,
x y x y
add more random x
values) 0
-3
• Use the equation to 1
calculate the y-values -2
• Then, graph your -1 2
coordinates 3
y = 2x - 1

x y = 2x – 1 y
-3 2(-3) – 1 -7 10

-2 2(-2) – 1 -5 6

-1 2(-1) – 1 -3 2

0
0 2(0) – 1 -1 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1
-2
0 1 2 3 4 5

-4
1 2(1) – 1 1 -6

-8
2 2(2) – 1 3 -10

3 2(3) – 1 5
Using the Slope, m, and y-intercept, b

• Transform the equation Example:

so that it is in slope-
intercept form
3
• Plot the y-intercept y  x 7
• Complete graphing using 4
Rise Over Run, where the
rise is the move up and
run is move to the right or
left
(right for (+) slope and left
for (-) slope)
 10
9
3
8
7 y  x 7
6
5
4
4
3
2
First, plot the
1
0
y-intercept.
-1 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 -2
-3 Move right 4 Then use the
-4
-5
slope, to
Move up 3 -6 complete the
-7
-8 rise over run.
-9
-10
Connect the
points with a
line.
 Using the x- and y-intercepts

• Find the x-intercept Example:

by setting y=0 and
solving for x 3
• Find the y-intercept
y  x6
4
by setting x=0 and
solving for y
Find the x-intercept: Find the y-intercept:

3 3
0  x6 y  (0)  6
4 4
3 y  6
6 x
4 10
9
8

4 3 4
7
6

(6)   x 
5
4
3

3 4 3
2
1
0
-1 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

8x
0 -2
-3
-4
-5
-6
-7
-8
-9
-10

Graph the intercepts.

 Find the y-intercept:

3
y  (0)  6
4
y  6
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
Graph the intercepts
and draw a line through
0
-1 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 -2

the two points.

-3
-4
-5
-6
-7
-8
-9
-10
Using a Graphing Calculator
•Check viewing window
before graphing
•Always start with a
standard viewing window
Using a Graphing Calculator