Graphing Equations
Terms
Data Table -
A list of
x
-values and their corresponding
y
-values.
Negative Slope -
y
always decreases when
x
increases and
y
always increases when
x
decreases.
Ordered Pair -
A pair of numbers in a specific order. For example,
(3, 7)
and
(8, - 1)
are ordered pairs. Two ordered pairs are equivalent if their first members are equal and their second members are equal. However, the order of the two numbers is important;
(1, 2)
is not equivalent to
(2, 1)
.
Origin -
The point
(0, 0)
.
Parallel Lines -
Two lines are parallel if they have the same slope. Parallel lines, when extended, do not intersect at any point.
Perpendicular Lines -
Two lines are perpendicular if their slopes are opposite reciprocals of each other. Perpendicular lines intersect each other at right angles.
Positive Slope -
y
always increases when
x
increases, and
y
always decreases when
x
decreases.
Slope -
Given two points
(x
1, y
1)
and
(x
2, y
2)
on a line, the slope of the line is equal to:
m = 
|
x-axis -
The horizontal axis of a graph, with which the
x
-values are plotted.
x-coordinate -
The number which corresponds to the value of
x
in an ordered pair.
x-intercept -
The point at which the graph of a line crosses the
x
-axis. The point at which
y = 0
.
xy-graph -
A two-dimensional way of representing points.
x
-values are plotted with the horizontal axis, and
y
-values are plotted with the vertical axis.
xy-graph
xy-graph
y-axis -
The vertical axis of a graph, with which the
y
-values are plotted.
y-coordinate -
The number which corresponds to the value of
y
in an ordered pair.
y-intercept -
The point at which the graph of a line crosses the
y
-axis. The point at which
x = 0
.
