Question

Find the equation of the straight line which passes through the point $(1,-2)$ and cuts off equal intercepts from axes.

Answer 1

Let $a$ be the equal intercept made by the straight line from both the axes.

Then the equation of the line is $\frac{x}{a}+\frac{y}{a}=1$......(1).

Given line (1) passes through $(1,-2)$, then

$-\frac{-1}{a}=1$

or, $a=-1$.

Then the equation of the line is $x+y=-1$.