A line parallel to the $x$-axis passes through (5, −2). Its equation is:

**$x$-axis**: every point on the $x$-axis has $y=0$. So the $x$-axis is the line **$y=0\ast \ast .\ast \ast y$-axis**: every point on the $y$-axis has $x=0$. So the $y$-axis is the line **$x=0$**.

These are special cases of 'lines parallel to the axes' — except they ARE the axes themselves.