Answer: a) y = - 3/2 x + 7/2
Explanation:
The equation of a straight line can be represented in the slope-intercept form, y = mx + c
Where c = y intercept
m represents the slope of the line.
m = (y2 - y1)/(x2 - x1)
y2 = final value of y
y 1 = initial value of y
x2 = final value of x
x1 = initial value of x
The line passes through (3, - 1) and (- 1, 5),
y2 = 5
y1 = -1
x2 = - 1
x1 = 3
Slope,m = (5 - - 1)/(- 1 - 3) = 6/- 4 =
- 3/2
To determine the y intercept, we would substitute x = 3, y = - 1 and m= - 3/2 into y = mx + c. It becomes
- 1 = - 3/2 × 3 + c
- 1 = - 9/2 + c
c = - 1 + 9/2
c = 7/2
The equation becomes
y = - 3x/2 + 7/2