Final answer:
The point (5.5, 3) lies on the line y = 2x - 8 because when we substitute x = 5.5 into the equation, the resulting y-coordinate matches the y-coordinate of the point.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine if the point (5.5, 3) lies on the line y = 2x - 8, we can substitute the x-coordinate of the point into the equation and see if the y-coordinate matches the result. Plugging in x = 5.5 into the equation, we get:
y = 2(5.5) - 8
y = 11 - 8
y = 3
This matches the y-coordinate of the point (5.5, 3), so the point indeed lies on the line. If a point did not lie on the line, we could determine if it is above or below by seeing if its y-coordinate is greater (above) or less (below) than the line's y-coordinate at that x-value.