So your equation is currently in point-slope form; however, to figure out the slope and y-intercept, you'd be better off in slope-intercept form: y = mx + b
while in point-slope form, y - y1 = m(x - x1), you can definitely see the slope as -5, you can't see the y-intercept as easily. x-intercepts are actually the solutions/zeros of a function, and it was included in the answer choices to confuse you.
you're correct about -5 being a decreasing slope. but to figure out the y-intercept, you need to convert to slope-intercept form.
y - 4 = -5(x + 1) ... distribute the -5 y - 4 = -5x - 5 ... add 4 y = -5x - 1
and in the form of y = mx + b, where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept, you can see that you have a decreasing slope of -5 and a y-intercept of -1. your correct answer is A. choices C and D were thrown in to distract you and make you think that the -5(x + 1) was somehow related to discovering the x-intercept.
To write this expression as a positive exponent we use this rule of exponents: xa=1x−a. 5−3=15−−3=153. Use this rule for exponents: xa=1x−a. 5−3=15−−3=153=1125.
