Answer:
B
Step-by-step explanation:
The first step of any problem solution is <em>look at the given information</em>. Here, we are given the equation of a line in (almost) standard form, and we want to match the equation with a graph. We notice that the coefficients of the variables are factors of the constant, so the intercepts are integer values easily found.
We can compare the line's intercepts to those shown on the graphs to choose the correct graph.
<u>x-intercept</u>
The x-intercept is found by setting y=0 and solving for x:
-3x +5(0) = -15
x = -15/-3 = 5
Only one graph shows a line with an x-intercept of (5, 0): graph B.
<u>y-intercept</u>
We can confirm graph B by finding the y-intercept. For this, we set x=0 and solve for y.
-3(0) +5y = -15
y = -15/5 = -3
Graph B also has a y-intercept of (0, -3), confirming it is the correct choice.
_____
<em>Additional comment</em>
Part of "look at the given information" is "look at the answer choices." What you look for is <em>what makes one choice different from the others</em>. Here, the lines have x- and y-intercepts of ±3 and ±5. The y-intercepts are the same for graphs A and B, and for graphs C and D.
However, the x-intercepts are different for all of them. This tells you that finding the x-intercept is the fastest way to find the correct graph.
