when finding X or Y intercepts, what do you do if you find an improper fraction.
(3X-y=-7) Y- is easy, but when i get X (3X=-7) I cant do (X=-7/3)
change the fraction to a decimal.
Actually, unless you are specifically asked to express as a decimal, it's often convenient to just leave it as a fraction. A fraction is just as much a value as a decimal.
When finding x and y intercepts, if you get a fraction, do you have to change the fraction into a decimal in order to graph it?
When finding the x or y intercepts of a linear equation, it is important to solve for the variable in the equation to determine the value of that intercept. If you encounter an improper fraction while solving for the variable, you can still proceed with finding the intercepts using that fraction.
In the given equation: 3x - y = -7, you correctly solved for the y-intercept by isolating the y variable:
y = 3x + 7
To find the x-intercept, you need to solve for x and determine the value of x when y is equal to zero. Let's proceed with solving for x:
3x = -7
To isolate x, divide both sides of the equation by 3:
x = -7/3
Now, you have obtained an improper fraction as the value of x, which is -7/3. An improper fraction means the numerator is greater than the denominator.
In such cases, you have a few options:
Option 1: Leave the answer as an improper fraction.
You can leave the x-intercept as -7/3, without converting it to a mixed number or a decimal. This is a valid way to represent the result.
Option 2: Convert the improper fraction to a mixed number.
To convert -7/3 to a mixed number, you divide the numerator by the denominator and express the answer as a whole number and a proper fraction.
-7 ÷ 3 = -2 remainder 1
The whole number part is -2, and the proper fraction part is 1/3. So, the x-intercept can also be represented as -2 1/3.
Option 3: Convert the improper fraction to a decimal.
To convert -7/3 to a decimal, divide the numerator by the denominator using a calculator or long division:
-7 ÷ 3 ≈ -2.3333...
So, the x-intercept can also be approximated as -2.3333.
Remember, any of these representations (improper fraction, mixed number, or decimal) are correct for the x-intercept. Choose the format that is most appropriate for the context of your problem.