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A line passes through the points (-18, -2) and (9, 10). Find this line's equation in point-slope form. Using the point (-18, -2), this line's point-slope form equation is [ ]Using the point (9, 10), this line's point-slope form equation is [ ]

User Ilian Iliev
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1 Answer

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Point- slope equation of a line

We know that the point-slope formula is given by:

y − y₁=m(x − x₁)

where the terms: m, y₁ and x₁ are numbers.

Given that the line passes through a given points we have that:

m is the slope of the line

y₁ is the y value of that given point

x₁ is the x value of that given point

Finding the slope

We want to find the slope m, having that

(x₁, y₁) = (-18, -2)

(x₂, y₂) = (9, 10)

The slope is always a rate of change. It is:

m = Δy/Δx,

where Δ means "change"

Step 1: finding the change of each term x and y

Δy = change of y = y₂ - y₁

Δy = 10 - (-2) = 12

Δx = change of x = x₂ - x₁

Δx = 9 - (-18) = 27

Step 2: dividing the found quantities

Then

m = Δy/Δx = 12/27

m = 4/9

Step 3: replacing in the equation

Using the equation, we have that

y − y₁ = m(x − x₁)

replacing m:

y − y₁= 4/9(x − x₁)

Step 4: replacing each point

For the first point: (-18, -2)

We have that (x₁, y₁) = (-18, -2)

since the equation is

y − y₁ = 4/9(x − x₁)

replacing each term for each number of the given coordinate

y − (-2) = 4/9(x − (-18))

y + 2 = 4/9(x + 18)

Equation: y + 2 = 4/9(x + 18)

For the second point: (9, 10)

We have that (x₂, y₂) = (9, 10)

since the equation is

y − y₂ = 4/9(x − x₂)

replacing each term for each number of the given coordinate

y − (10) = 4/9(x − (9))

y - 10 = 4/9(x - 9)

Equation: y - 10 = 4/9(x - 9)

User Dmitry R
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