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Explain how to use the slopes and y-intercepts to determine if two lines coincide or are parallel.

User Grind
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1 Answer

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First, given two equations, solve each one for y (in other words, get into y=mx+b form).

If m is different for the two equations, the two lines intersect at one point.

If m is the same for both equations but b (the y-intercept) is different, the lines are parallel. the slopes are the same, but the lines cut the y-axis at different points.

If both m and b are the same, the lines coincide. Slopes AND y-intercepts are the same.
User Kenneth Fisher
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