Final answer:
None of the provided options accurately define what the point (2, -4) on a graph represents. It is not an x-intercept, y-intercept, vertex, or axis of symmetry; it is simply a point on the Cartesian coordinate system.
Step-by-step explanation:
When interpreting the graph of a linear equation, the point (2, -4) represents a specific location on the Cartesian coordinate system. To understand what this point signifies, it is crucial to recall that coordinates are written in the format (x, y), where 'x' represents the horizontal position and 'y' the vertical position relative to the origin (0, 0).
An x-intercept is a point where the graph of an equation crosses the x-axis (y=0), so in this case, since y is not zero, (2, -4) is not an x-intercept. A y-intercept is a point where the graph crosses the y-axis (x=0), and as x is not zero in (2, -4), it cannot be a y-intercept either. The vertex is a term usually associated with the highest or lowest point on the graph of a parabola or other nonlinear function, which is not applicable here since we are discussing a point on a line. Lastly, an axis of symmetry is a line that divides a shape into two equal parts, which is also more relevant to parabolas and not straight lines. Given the options, none accurately define what the point (2, -4) represents in a graph.