Question

Having trouble solving this...

Write the equation if a line that goes through (6,-1/2) and has an x-intercept of 5x-2y=-20

I think the x-intercept is -4, but I don't know what to do with that.

Answer 1

Hmmm. The phrase "an x-intercept of 5x-2y=-20" doesn't mean anything. The x-intercept is a point, not an equation.

you are correct that the given line has an x-intercept of -4, and if you want your new line to have the same intercept, then just draw the line through (6,-1/2) and (-4,0).

Otherwise, you may need to re-examine the problem.

Answer 2

Your wording makes no sense.
Did you mean that the new line has the same x-intercept as 5x-2y= -20 ?

since the x-intercept is indeed -4, I will assume that the question is as I assumed.

So we have two points on the new line
(6, -1/2) and (-4,0)
slope = (0-1/2)/(-4-6) = -1/20

equation must be
x + 20y = c
with (-4,0) on it
-4 + 0 = c
c = -4

equation: x + 20y = -4

or

y = (-1/20)x - 1/5