1.3: Intercepts
- Author:
- Nicole Stripling
Terminology
Recall, the x-intercept is where the curve intersects the x-axis. It always follows the general form of .
Other names for the x-intercept include roots, solutions, zeros.
The y-intercept is where the curve intersects the y-axis. The y-intercept always follows the general form of .
Steps to Finding Intercepts
If you are asked to find the y-intercept, then we are looking for the value of y when x=0. So by finding , we will find the value of the y-intercept.
If you are asked to find the x-intercepts, then we are looking for the values of x when . Setting the function equal to zero will help us find each x-intercept.