Introduction to Plotting Points on the Rectangular Coordinate System

This photo shows a pack of cyclists in a road race.

Cyclists speed toward the finish line.

Which cyclist will win the race? What will the winning time be? How many seconds will separate the winner from the runner-up? One way to summarize the information from the race is by creating a graph. In this chapter, we will discuss the basic concepts of graphing. The applications of graphing go far beyond races. They are used to present information in almost every field, including healthcare, business, and entertainment.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

Plot points on a rectangular coordinate system
Identify points on a graph
Verify solutions to an equation in two variables
Complete a table of solutions to a linear equation
Find solutions to linear equations in two variables

Before you get started in this module, try a few practice problems and review prior concepts.

Examples

Evaluate: [latex]x+3[/latex] when [latex]x=-1[/latex].If you missed this problem, review [link].
Evaluate: [latex]2x - 5y[/latex] when [latex]x=3,y=-2[/latex].If you missed this problem, review [link].
Solve for [latex]y\text{:}40 - 4y=20[/latex].If you missed this problem, review [link].

Licenses & Attributions

CC licensed content, Shared previously

Cyclists in a bicycle race. Authored by: ewan traveler. Located at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ewan_traveler/9016992422/. License: CC BY: Attribution.

CC licensed content, Specific attribution

Prealgebra. Provided by: OpenStax License: CC BY: Attribution. License terms: Download for free at http://cnx.org/contents/[email protected].

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