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What is the equation of the line through 0,0 and 8,4?

1 Answer

6 votes

Answer:

y = (1/2)x

Explanation:

Lets look for an equation of the form y = mx + b, where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept (the value of y when x = zero). We can find the slope by calculating the Rise/Run between the two given points:

Going from (0,0) to (8,4):

Rise = (4-0) = 4

Run = (8-0) = 8

Slope = Rise/Run (4/8) or (1/2)

The equation becomes y = (1/2)x + b

We need a value of b that forces the line through both points. The point (0,0) actually tells us that b is 0, since b is the value of y when x=0. If we weren't ask lucky to get a point where x is zero, we could cacalute b by putting either point in the above equation and solving for b:

y = (1/2)x + b

4 = (1/2)*(8) + b for (8,4)

b = 0

The equation is y = (1/2)x

See the attached graph.

What is the equation of the line through 0,0 and 8,4?-example-1
User Andy Bourassa
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