16Hit1600
AlgebraMediumReading slope and intercept from standard form

Algebra practice question

The line 3x − 6y = 12 is graphed in the xy-plane. What is the slope of the line?

  1. A. 1/2Correct
  2. B. −1/2
  3. C. 2
  4. D. −2

Answer: A. 1/2

Solve for y: −6y = −3x + 12, so y = (1/2)x − 2. The slope is 1/2.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. −1/2
−1/2 forgets that dividing −3x by −6 gives a positive coefficient.
C. 2
2 is the reciprocal.
D. −2
−2 is the y-intercept, not the slope.

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