Final answer:
Horizontal and vertical lines can be expressed in standard form, with a horizontal line written as y = b and a vertical line as x = a. In standard form, a horizontal line is 0x + 1y = b, and a vertical line is 1x + 0y = a.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of algebra and coordinate geometry, the equations for horizontal and vertical lines can indeed be written in standard form, although they are often expressed in simpler forms.
A horizontal line has a constant y-value for all points on the line.
Therefore, its equation can be expressed simply as y = b, where b is the y-intercept.
On the other hand, a vertical line has a constant x-value, and its equation is typically written as x = a, where a is the x-intercept.
The standard form for a linear equation is Ax + By = C, where A, B, and C are integers.
For a horizontal line, this becomes 0x + 1y = b (which simplifies to y = b), and for a vertical line, 1x + 0y = a (which simplifies to x = a).
These are indeed special cases of the standard form where certain coefficients are zero.
Hence, in standard form, a horizontal line is 0x + 1y = b, and a vertical line is 1x+0y = a.