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What is the equation of the line??

What is the equation of the line??-example-1
User SGalea
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1 Answer

16 votes
16 votes

Answers:

m = -2/3

b = 1

equation: y = (-2/3)x + 1

This is the same as writing
y = -(2)/(3)x+1

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Step-by-step explanation:

There are a few approaches, but I like to start at the y intercept whenever it is an integer. The y intercept is where the diagonal line crosses the vertical y axis. In this case, that location is (0,1) telling us that b = 1 is the y intercept.

From that starting anchor point, we need to find a way to get to another point on this line. There are a few ways to do this, but we can move down 2 and to the right 3 units to go from (0,1) to (3,-1). This "down 2 right 3" motion directly leads to the slope of rise/run = -2/3

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Alternatively, you can start at something like (-3,3) and move down 4 and move right 6 to arrive at (3,-1). Note how rise/run = -4/6 = -2/3. No matter where you start, moving along this line will involve a "down 2 right 3" movement pattern. Be sure to reduce any fractions as much as possible.

Yet another alternative is to apply the slope formula using any two points on the line. Preferably they have integer coordinates.

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However you determine the slope, it's m = -2/3 after fully reducing. It along with b = 1 is plugged into y = mx+b to get y = (-2/3)x+1 as the equation of this line. It's in slope intercept form.