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What is the equation of the line that passes through the points (-6,8) and (3,-4)?

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Final answer:

The equation of the line that passes through the points (-6,8) and (3,-4) is y = (-4/3)x + 16.

Step-by-step explanation:

The equation of a line can be found using two points on the line by first calculating the slope of the line (represented as m in the slope-intercept form, y = mx + b) and then using the slope and one of the points to solve for the y-intercept (represented as b).

Step 1: Calculating the Slope (m)

To find the slope of the line that passes through the points (-6,8) and (3,-4), use the formula:

m = (y2 - y1) / (x2 - x1)

Thus,

m = (-4 - 8) / (3 - (-6)) = -12 / 9 = -4/3

Step 2: Calculating the Y-intercept (b)

Using the slope (-4/3) and one of the points, say (-6,8), plug into the slope-intercept formula:

y - y1 = m(x - x1)

Substituting the values gives:

8 - (-4/3)(-6) = -4/3 * x + b

Solving for b gives:

8 + 8 = -4/3 * x + b

16 = b

Step 3: The Equation of the Line

So, the equation of the line in slope-intercept form is:

y = (-4/3)x + 16

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