Final answer:
To write a linear function in the form y = mx + b, find the slope (m) using the coordinates of two points and then find the y-intercept (b) by substituting the slope and one of the points into the equation.
Step-by-step explanation:
To write a linear function in the form y = mx + b using two points, we first need to find the slope (m) and then the y-intercept (b).
- Find the slope (m) using the formula m = (y2 - y1)/(x2 - x1), where (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) are the coordinates of the two points.
- Substitute the slope (m) into the equation y = mx + b.
- Choose one of the given points and substitute the coordinates into the equation to find the y-intercept (b).
- Write the final equation in the form y = mx + b, where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept.
Using the points (0, -2) and (2, 6) as an example, we first find the slope: m = (6 - (-2))/(2 - 0) = 8/2 = 4. Then, substituting the slope into the equation, we get y = 4x + b. We can choose the point (0, -2) to find the y-intercept: -2 = 4(0) + b, which gives b = -2. Therefore, the linear function in the form y = mx + b is y = 4x - 2.
Learn more about Writing a linear function