Question

For the proportional relationship y = -5x, what is the ratio of vertical change to horizontal change? Will the graph of the line increase or decrease? A. -51 The graph increases from left to right. B. -50 The graph increases from left to right. C. -51 The graph decreases from left to right. D. -50 The graph decreases from left to right.

Answer 1

The given proportional relationship is y = -5x.
Therefore the ratio
y/x = -5 = -5/1

If x changes by 1, then y/x = y/1 = -5.
This means that y changes by -5 when x changes by 1.
The ratio of vertical change is -5:1

The standard equation for a straight line is
y = m*x + c
where
m = the slope,
c = the y-intercept.

Therefore the given relationship is a straight line with a negative slope of -5. This means that y decreases as x increases.

Answer: C
-5:1
The graph decreases from left to right.