Final answer:
To find the equation in point-slope form for the line passing through the points (−1,4) and (3,−4), we calculate the slope (−2) and then use one point to write the equation y - 4 = −2(x + 1).
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the equation of the line in point-slope form that passes through the given points (−1,4) and (3,−4), we first need to calculate the slope of the line (m). The slope is derived from the change in y over the change in x (rise over run).
The formula to find the slope (m) is:
m = (y2 - y1) / (x2 - x1)
Using the given points (−1,4) and (3,−4), we can substitute in as follows:
m = (−4 - 4) / (3 - (−1))
m = (−8) / (4)
m = −2
With the slope calculated, the point-slope form of the line can be written as:
y - y1 = m(x - x1)
Using one of the given points, for instance (−1,4), the equation becomes:
y - 4 = −2(x - (−1))
Which simplifies to:
y - 4 = −2(x + 1)
Therefore, the equation in point-slope form for the line that passes through the points (−1,4) and (3,−4) is y - 4 = −2(x + 1).