Answer:
y = (-2/5)x - 2
Explanation:
One way to attack this problem is to interchange the coefficients of x and y and change the sign of one to +: 5x - 2y = -6 becomes 2x + 5y = c. Solving for the slope, m, we get 5y = -2x + c first, and then y = (-2/5)x + D.
Subbing 5 for x and -4 for y, we now have -4 = (-2/5)(5) + D.
Then -4 = -2 + D, so that D = -2.
The desired equation is thus y = (-2/5)x - 2.
Check: Does this pass through (5, -4)? Is -4 = (-2/5)(5) - 2 true? Yes.
Is the slope -2/5 the negative reciprocal of 5/2? Yes, it is.