The equation you provided is $5x + 4y = -20$. This is a linear equation in two variables, $x$ and $y$. Here are some common steps you can follow with such an equation:

1. Solve for one variable in terms of the other: You can express one variable in terms of the other. For instance, solving for $y$ in terms of $x$: $4y = -20 - 5x$ $y = \frac{-20 - 5x}{4}$ Simplifying further: $y = -5 - \frac{5}{4}x$ So, $y = -5 - \frac{5}{4}x$.

2. Graph the equation: You can graph this equation by converting it into slope-intercept form (which we just did), where $y = mx + b$, with $m = -\frac{5}{4}$ and $b = -5$.

3. Find intercepts:

   • To find the x-intercept, set $y = 0$: $5x + 4(0) = -20 \quad \Rightarrow \quad x = -4$
   • To find the y-intercept, set $x = 0$: $5(0) + 4y = -20 \quad \Rightarrow \quad y = -5$

4. Check for parallel or perpendicular lines: If you have another line's equation, you can check the relationship by comparing slopes.

5. Substitute specific values: You can plug in specific values for $x$ or $y$ and solve for the other variable.

Would you like to proceed with any specific method or ask further questions?

Here are 5 related questions:

1. How do you find the slope of a line from its equation?
2. What are the steps to graph a linear equation using intercepts?
3. How can we determine if two lines are parallel or perpendicular from their equations?
4. How do you solve a system of linear equations with two variables?
5. What is the significance of the slope and intercept in a linear equation?

Tip:

To quickly find the slope of a line, put the equation in the form $y = mx + b$, where $m$ is the slope.