WTFMath

Technology and Gaming Help and Support
#1

I’m a freshman. And some of you older people (and even some my age) understand Algebra. Right? RIGHT?!?!

We’ve been studying linear equations for 3 - 4 months now and every time I ask I just keep running into more problems and don’t understand something.

So, here’s some common questions that run through my head.

Y-intercept…are those the horizontal lines?
How do fractions work with it?
Is there an x-intercept?
How do I solve an equation if I don’t use like terms in the beginning?

Thanks in advance. I’m sure I can get SOME help. :smiley:

#2

yeah I finished high school… I am not doing your homework.

all I did was sleep in class and resolve the whole book on the night before final tests, my brain failed to absorb anything because it was too boring

I suggest you talk about the problems with your teacher

inb4capt.obvious

#3

I didn’t ask you too. I’m just asking for help.

That’s the problem. I don’t really understand anything she says about it. I ask her to slow down and explain but it doesn’t help.

#4

I’m confused as to what the question is.
Do you want to know what the y and x intercepts are? Those are the coordinates where the line intersects with the y and x axis respectively. The rest of your question is confusing.

#5

I can see how it can be confusing, but the “axis”…does this define which direction the lines run?
If I find fractions in an equation in which I am supposed to graph, doers this have to do with where I place the dot?

I think that’s pretty much it.

#6

sersoft don’t be a dick. Oh wait you are one.

Anyway,

Y Intercept = Horizontal Lines. But they dont always show up as them. The Y-intercept is just where the line meets the thick VERTICAL line that makes the graph. Only time a Y Intercept = Horizontal Line is when the Y-Intercept has no X-Intercept to go with it.

Fractions. VERY easy. Your slope ALWAYS wants to be a fraction. Why? It basically is instructions. 1 over 4 means RISE 1 and move to the right 4 times. Make a connecting line from where you started and BAM.

X-Intercept is similar to the Y except it is the opposite location of the Y. Its where the line goes through the thick HORIZONTAL line that makes the graph.

[COLOR=‘Red’]in the equations below, x does NOT mean multiply!!!

lets say you had this equation: y=2/1x+4

  1. Make a dot at the coordinates (0,4)
  2. Move up TWICE and to the right ONCE
  3. Make a dot there
  4. Connect the 2 dots. Extend the line to the edge of the graph.

if you had a slope of 2/-1 than you would RISE twice and move LEFT once. the negative (-) tells you to go in the opposite direction for that number.

If you only had a graph and need to find the equation for the graph than simple.

Lets say the line passes (0,-2) and (4,0)

  1. Find the X and Y intercept. I did it for you above.
  2. Subtract the -2 from the 0. It gives u 2.
  3. Subtract the 0 from the 4. It gives u 4.
  4. place the 2 over the 4 to make a fraction, AKA, the SLOPE.
  5. Now you have this equation: y=2/4x+b

now to find the b, which tells you where to start if you were graphing.

  1. choose one of the coordinates. I chose (0,-2)
  2. enter the x and y from the coordinates into the eqaution you have so far. It will looks like this: -2=2/4(0)+b
  3. Multiply the slope by the number in the parentheses. Now you should have this: -2=b

now you now what b is!

Enter the b into the original equation. YOu should now have Y=2/4x-2

I may have errors in here. Its late just let me now if i do.

#7

ninjad

#8

Lets pretend we have a function where y = ax + b
The function represents a line where a and b are constants while x and y are variables.

    1. The y-intercept is when x = 0, or where the line intersects the y-axis.
      So for our example equation when x = 0 then we have y = b.
      The point ( 0, b ) will be on the y-axis so it is a y-intercept.
      .
    1. Depending on the equation you can have a fraction.
      For example if we have the equation 2y = x + 1
      Since we want the y-intercept x = 0 so the equation becomes 2y = 1 or y = 1/2 when x = 0.
      .
    1. Yes. Instead of solving for x = 0 we solve for y = 0.
      So with our equation, 0 = ax + b so x = -b/a
      The point ( -b/a, 0 ) will be on the x-axis so it is a x-intercept.
      .
    1. Depends on the equation.

edit: triple ninja

#9

b737lvr, JamesKane, and someonerandm…thanks so much for the help! This pretty much covers all the questions I have! :smiley: Just one more. If I only have one number for my slope, is the denominator going to be “1” automatically?

#10

yes

Though you can also think of it as ( say 6 is one number ) 6 = 6 * 1 = 6 * 1/1 = 6 / 1

Only reason is because you can do fun stuff like 6 * 1 = 6 * 100 / 100 = 600 / 100 = 6

#11

I hate math so much. Some people really can’t do it. I’m one of the smartest people on the planet ( Stfu, I don’t want to hear it ) and I just don’t get it. I later found out I’m dislexic with numbers.

" Hey orderofdagon, if you’re so smart how come you spell stuff wrongz? "
Go away.

#12

That’s dyscalculia. And has nothing to do with spelling.

#13

Man… just about done with college here and I don’t remember a thing of math. Good luck.

#14

if you were that smart you wouldn’t talk about like that about math, the whole universe is based on numbers and equations

#15

Being smart and loving math really aren’t mutually inclusive. A lot of the best musician’s in the world are geniuses, and they don’t necessarily like maths anymore than anyone else.

Being smart =/= liking maths

And I think you’re refering to intelligence, not smartness. Intelligence is IQ based, while smarts depends more on wisdom. Like street smarts for example. :pirate:

#16

you’re defending someone who says they’re the smartest on the planet

#17

understanding maths =/= liking maths

#18

Touché :stuck_out_tongue:

I just didn’t like the idea that being intelligent means that you should see the universe in a mathematical way, or even be good with maths. I wasn’t really trying to defend him particularly.

#19

Although I have a great interest for everything math, physics, chemistry, biology, geology related, I’ve never been particularly good at them. Yet, I’m better at writing, literature, languages, philosophy… that sort of thing but am not very fond of it to be honest.
I prefer stuff that gets me on my knees, makes me weep in frustration and makes me lag behind everyone else because I need triple the time to grasp a concept.

#20

I’ve experienced some sort of mind bend when I had to learn 2 extra languages. I went from being excellent to below average at math. At least I hardly ever make grammatical mistakes on paper, in either language.

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