Final answer:
To graph the inequality y > -4, draw a dashed horizontal line at y = -4 and shade the area above it to represent all the points where y is greater than -4.
Step-by-step explanation:
To graph the inequality y > -4, first, draw a horizontal line at y = -4. Because the inequality is 'y > -4' rather than 'y ≥ -4', this line is drawn as a dashed line, indicating that the points on the line are not included in the solution to the inequality.
Next, since the inequality is 'y > -4', shade the area above the dashed line. This shaded region represents all the points where y is greater than -4, thus satisfying the inequality. Any point in this shaded region has a y-value that is more than -4, which is what the inequality requires.
The act of shading the appropriate region is crucial because it visually represents all the possible solutions to the inequality. In this case, every point in the shaded area makes the inequality true. Being able to graph and shade these regions is an important skill in interpreting inequalities in algebra.