DRAWING GRAPHS

FROM EQUATIONS
Objectives
 Learn how to calculate
coordinates specific to an
equation

 Learn how to draw a graph of

any equation
Key points
• Make sure your pencil is sharp
• Restrict use of eraser
• Work out your coordinates
• Work out your scale, be consistent!
• Label axis
• Join points with ruler
• Label the line
• Give your graph a title
Drawing Graphs from Equations

A graph can be drawn from any

equation.
For example, draw the graph of:
y = 2x
This means double x
 x -4 -2 0 2 4

To draw the graph of

y = 2x
draw a table like this
putting in any
numbers for the
values for x
 x -4 -2 0 2 4
2x -8 -4 0 4 8

I want to find
y = 2x , so for
every value of x
we multiply by 2
for 2 x.
 x -4 -2 0 2 4
2x -8 -4 0 4 8
y -8 -4 0 4 8

You have multiplied

all the x numbers
so now you have
found the
corresponding y
numbers for y = 2x
 x -4 -2 0 2 4
y -8 -4 0 4 8

(-4,-8) (-2,-4) (0,0) (2,4) (4,8)

Now you have

your set of
coordinates you
are ready to plot
the graph
 Graph of equation y = 2x
y
10
9 y = 2x
8
7 x y
y = 2x -4  -8
6
5

4
3
-2  -4
2
1
0  0
x
2  4
-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
-1

4  8
-2
-3
-4

-5
-6
-7

-8
-9
-10
Drawing Graphs from Equations

Now lets draw the graph of:

y = 2x + 1
This means double x and then add 1
 x -4 -2 0 2 4

First put in your

x coordinates
 x -4 -2 0 2 4
2x -8 -4 0 4 8

I want to find
y = 2x + 1, so first,
you find the value
of the 2x. This
means 2 multiplied
by x
 x -4 -2 0 2 4
2x -8 -4 0 4 8
2x + 1 -7 -3 1 5 9

Remember, you want

to find y = 2x + 1 so
you add on 1 to the
2x to find the value
of 2x + 1
 x -4 -2 0 2 4
2x -8 -4 0 4 8
2x + 1 -7 -3 1 5 9
y -7 -3 1 5 9

Now you have the

coordinates for
y = 2x + 1
 x -4 -2 0 2 4
y -7 -3 1 5 9

Now, plot the value

of x against the
value of y on the
graph’s axes.
 Graph of equation y = 2x + 1
y
10
9

8
y = 2x + 1
7
x y
6 y = 2x + 1
5
-4  -7
4
3 -2  -3
0  1
2
1

-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 x 2  5
-1

-2
-3
4  9
-4

-5
-6
-7

-8
-9
-10
Draw the graph of: y = -½x - 3

x -4 -2 0 2 4
Draw the graph of: y = -½x - 3
x -4 -2 0 2 4
-½x 2 1 0 -1 -2

Find the value of

-½x . You times
all the x numbers
by -½
Draw the graph of: y = -½x - 3
x -4 -2 0 2 4
-½x 2 1 0 -1 -2
-½x - 3 -1 -2 -3 -4 -5

Take away 3
from the value
of -½x .
Draw the graph of: y = -½x - 3
x -4 -2 0 2 4
-½x 2 1 0 -1 -2
-½x - 3 -1 -2 -3 -4 -5
y -1 -2 -3 -4 -5

Now you can

plot your
graph
Draw the graph of: y = -½x - 3
x -4 -2 0 2 4
y -1 -2 -3 -4 -5

Now you can

plot your
graph
 Graph of equation y = -½x - 3
y
10
9 y = -½x - 3
8
7 x y
6
5 -4  -1
4
y = -½x - 3 3 -2  -2
0  -3
2
1

-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 x 2  -4
-1

-2
-3
4  -5
-4

-5
-6
-7

-8
-9
-10
Equations of lines with only one letter

 You have learnt how to draw any line of

equations in the form of y = 2x + 3

 What about equations where there is only 1

letter?
 y=1
 x=5
 Equations of lines with only one letter

 Consider the points shown on the graph

What do they all have in common? y

An x value equal to 1 5.0

• (1, 5)
4

They also all lie in line 3 • (1, 3)

If we labelled some more points 2

on the line, what would they 1

• (1, 1) x

have in common with these? -5.0 -4 -3 -2 -1 •1 (1,2 0)3 4 5.0

-1 • (1, –1 )
They would also have -2

an x value equal to 1 -3
• (1, –3)
• (1, –4)
We can therefore say the
-4

-5.0
equation of the line is x = 1
Consider the points shown on this graph

What do they all have in

y
5.0

common?

(-5•
(- 4 )

(- 2

(0,

(2 ,
(3, ) •

(5,
4

• 3)
,
,

,3
A y value equal to 3

3)

3
3)

3)
)
3

•
2

They also all lie in line 1

If we labelled some more

x

-5.0 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5.0
points on the line, what would -1

they have in common with -2

these points? -3

They would also have a y

-4

-5.0
value equal to 3

We can therefore say the

equation of the line is y = 3
Lines that cut the y axis y Lines that cut the x axis
10
9

8
Y=8
7
6
5

4 Y=4
3
2 Y=2
1

-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 x Y = 0
-1

-2
-3 Y = -3
-4

-5
-6
-7

-8 Y = -8
-9
-10

x = - 7 x = - 4 x = 0 x = 5 x = 9
 Work!! Plot the following graphs

y
10

1. y = 2x + 3 9

2. y = 3x – 5 7
6
3. y = -x + 6 5

4. y = -4
4
3

5. x = 7 2
1

6. Y = ½x –2 -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 x
-1
7. Y = - 4x -9 -2
-3
-4

-5
-6
-7

-8
-9
-10