Equation of a line parallel to the y-axis.
Understand the Problem
The question is asking for the equation of a line that is parallel to the y-axis. In mathematical terms, a line parallel to the y-axis is a vertical line and can be expressed in the form x = a, where 'a' is a constant representing the x-coordinate where the line intersects the x-axis.
Answer
The equation of a vertical line is $x = a$.
Answer for screen readers
The equation of the line that is parallel to the y-axis is expressed as $x = a$, where 'a' is a constant.
Steps to Solve
- Identify the characteristics of a vertical line
A line that is parallel to the y-axis has a constant x-coordinate. This means that for any value of y, the value of x remains the same.
- Determine the equation for the vertical line
The equation for a vertical line can be written in the form:
$$ x = a $$
where 'a' is the x-coordinate where the line crosses the x-axis.
- Final equation representation
To represent the specific vertical line, you will specify the constant 'a'. For example, if the line intersects the x-axis at 3, the line can be represented as:
$$ x = 3 $$
This indicates that for any value of y, x will always equal 3.
The equation of the line that is parallel to the y-axis is expressed as $x = a$, where 'a' is a constant.
More Information
Vertical lines are unique in that they have an undefined slope and can be represented as $x = a$. This means they do not run horizontally, but rather up and down, making them distinct from any other type of linear equation.
Tips
- Confusing vertical lines with horizontal lines. Remember that horizontal lines are in the form $y = b$, while vertical lines are always in the form $x = a$.
