Intercepts and the Cover-Up Method

Key Questions

  • Answer:

    Horizontal line x=a

    Vertical line y=b

    Explanation:

    https://www.onlinemathlearning.com/forms-linear-equations.html

    Refer table above.

    Equation of a line inIntercept Formis given by

    xa+yb=1, where a in x-intercept and b the y-intercept

    For a horizontal line, y = 0 or y/b = 0 and the equation becomes,

    xa=1 or x=a

    Similarly, for a vertical line, x = 0 or x / a = 0 and the equation becomes,

    yb=1 or y=b

  • I suppose that "cover-up" is a friendlier term for "setting a variable equal to zero," so if you are looking for the x-intercept of a line, then set y equal to zero, and for y-intercept, set x-equal to zero.


    Example

    Let us find the x,y-intercepts of the line

    2x+3y=12.

    To find the x-intercept, set y=0.

    2x+3(0)=122x=12x=6

    So, the x-intercept is 6.

    To find the y-intercept, set x=0.

    2(0)+3y=123y=12y=4

    So, the y-intercept is 4.


    I hope that this was helpful.

Questions