Graphing

1
Graphing

• Graph of a Linear Equation
• x and y Intercepts
• Slope of a Line
• Slope-Intercept Form
• Independent and Dependent Variables
• Non-linear Devices

2
Graph of a Linear Equation
Key Point The graph of any linear equation is a straight line.  
3
x and y Intercepts
The x-intercept is the point where the line crosses the x-axis. The y-intercept is the point where the line crosses the y-axis.
4
Slope of a Line
Key Point The slope of a line is defined as the change in y that results from an increase in x.
Slope ?y/ ?x.
5
Slope-Intercept Form
Key Point Any linear equation containing two variables can be written in the slope-intercept form.
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Independent and Dependent Variables
When plotting curves, the independent variable is plotted along the x-axis and the dependent variable is plotted along the y-axis.
7
Non-linear Devices
Non-linear devices can be characterized by two resistances. DC resistance RD Dynamic resistance rd Both values depend on the point on the curve where measurements are made. The slope is determined by drawing a tangent to the curve at the given point.