How do you graph y equals mx plus b?

Answer 1

y = mx + b is just a general formula. Unless m and b are actual numbers, you can't really graph it. If m and b are real numbers, though, there are two steps to graphing the equation.

(1) Find a point on the line. The easiest point to locate is the y-intercept. Plug in zero for x, then simplify the right side of the equation to find the corresponding y value. Then plot the point (x, y) on your two-dimensional plane.

(2) Use the slope m to direct the rest of the line from that point. Write m as a fraction in its lowest form. The numerator tells you how many units up (or down, if negative) from the plotted point you should move. The denominator tells you how many units right (or left, if negative) from the plotted point you should move. After you follow the direction of both of these numbers, plot another point.

Draw a straight line that goes through both points, and you have graphed the equation!