# GRE Math : How to find x or y intercept

## Example Questions

### Example Question #1 : How To Find X Or Y Intercept

What is the y-intercept of the line that goes through the points (–2, 1) and (5, 6)?

67/7

The answer cannot be determined from the given information.

17/7

0

–2/7

17/7

Explanation:

The slope can be calculated from m = (y y1)/(x– x1) = (6 – 1)/(5 + 2). Having calculated the slope, we can now use point-slope form of a line, y – y= m(x – x1), and using the second point (5, 6): y – 6 = (5/7)(x – 5). This can be rearranged into slope-intercept form to obtain: y = (5/7)x + (17/7). Because the equation is now in slope intercept form, we know that the y-intercept is 17/7.

### Example Question #1491 : Gre Quantitative Reasoning

Find the x-intercept of the equation

0

–10

10

2

–2

10

Explanation:

The answer is 10.

In order to find the x-intercept we simply let all the y's equal 0

### Example Question #1 : X And Y Intercept

Quantity A:

The -intercept of the line

Quantity B:

The -intercept of the line

The two quantities are equal.

The relationship cannot be determined from the information given.

Quantity A is greater

Quantity B is greater

The two quantities are equal.

Explanation:

The key to these quantitative comparison problems is to figure out the worth of both quantities, or figure out whether evaluating the quantities is even possible.  In this case, evaluating the quantities is a fairly straightforward case of figuring out the intercepts of two different lines, which is possible.  Therefore, you can already discount "the relationship cannot be determined from the information given".

To solve quantity A:  is in  form, where  is the -intercept. Therefore, the -intercept is equal to

To solve quantity B: , you have to sole for the  intercept.  The quickest way to figure out the answer is to remember that the  axis exists at the line , therefore to find out where the line crosses the  axis, you can set  and solve for .

-3.5 = .5x - 1.5

Both quantity A and quantity B , therefore the two quantities are equal.

### Example Question #112 : Coordinate Geometry

What is the -intercept of the following equation?

Explanation:

To find the -intercept, you must plug  in for .

This leaves you with

.

Then you must get you by itself so you add  to both sides

.

Then divide both sides by  to get

.

For the coordinate point,  goes first then  and the answer is .