Chapter 2: Problem 28
Determine the slope of the line from the given equation of the line. \(y=3 x-2\)
Short Answer
Expert verified
The slope of the line represented by the equation \(y = 3x - 2\) is 3.
Step by step solution
01
Identify the standard form
Ensure that the provided equation is in the standard slope-intercept form, which is \(y = mx + c\). In this case, the equation \(y = 3x - 2\) is already in the standard form.
02
Identify the slope
From the standard form, we can identify the slope (\(m\)) and the y-intercept (\(c\)). The slope is the coefficient of \(x\), which in this case is 3.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Equation of a Line
An equation of a line is a mathematical representation that describes all the points along a particular straight line on a coordinate plane. There are various forms to represent this equation, such as:
In this content, we'll focus on the slope-intercept form, which is especially useful for quickly identifying the slope of a line.
- Slope-Intercept Form (which we'll delve into more deeply later)
- Point-Slope Form
- Standard Form
In this content, we'll focus on the slope-intercept form, which is especially useful for quickly identifying the slope of a line.
Slope-Intercept Form
The slope-intercept form of a line's equation is written as: \[ y = mx + c \]In this format:
Understanding this form is essential in mathematics problem-solving, making it possible to transition easily from an abstract equation to a visual graph.
- The letter \(m\) represents the slope of the line, which shows how much the line ascends or descends as we move along the x-axis.
- The letter \(c\) represents the y-intercept, pointing out where the line crosses the y-axis.
Understanding this form is essential in mathematics problem-solving, making it possible to transition easily from an abstract equation to a visual graph.
Identifying Slope
Spotting the slope in a line's equation is a straightforward yet crucial task. The slope can be identified as the coefficient of the \(x\) term when an equation is expressed in the slope-intercept form: \(y = mx + c\).
The slope, indicated by \(m\), is the measure of how steep the line is and indicates whether it rises or falls:
The slope, indicated by \(m\), is the measure of how steep the line is and indicates whether it rises or falls:
- A positive slope means the line ascends as it moves from left to right.
- A negative slope indicates the line descends.
- A zero slope signifies a perfectly horizontal line.
- An undefined slope corresponds to a vertical line.
Mathematics Problem-Solving
Effective mathematics problem-solving involves understanding and applying mathematical concepts to find solutions. When determining the equation of a line or its slope, a methodical approach aids vastly in ensuring accuracy and clarity. Here’s a simple problem-solving framework:
- **Comprehend the Problem:** Understand what is given and what is required. For instance, identifying that you need to find the slope and that you have been given a line equation.
- **Plan the Solution:** Decide on the approach, such as putting the equation in slope-intercept form to easily pinpoint the slope.
- **Apply and Analyze:** Perform calculations to retrieve the slope and intercept. In our original exercise, we did this by checking the coefficient of \(x\) in the equation \(y = 3x - 2\).
- **Review and Reflect:** Check if the solution is logical and whether all steps align with mathematical rules. Reflecting on the process can help in developing faster and more intuitive problem-solving strategies in the future.