Chapter 4: Problem 44
Find an equation of the line containing the two given points. Express your answer in the indicated form. \((-3.4,5.8)\) and \((-1.8,3.4) ;\) slope-intercept form
Short Answer
Expert verified
The equation of the line containing the given points in slope-intercept form is \(y = -1.5x + 0.7\).
Step by step solution
01
Calculate the slope
Recall the formula for calculating the slope (m) between two points (x1, y1) and (x2, y2): \[m = \frac{y2-y1}{x2-x1}\]
Using the given points \((-3.4,5.8)\) and \((-1.8,3.4)\), the slope can be calculated as:
\[m = \frac{3.4 - 5.8}{-1.8 - (-3.4)}\]
02
Use the point-slope form
Using the point-slope form, the equation of the line passing through the point \((-3.4,5.8)\) and having the slope \(m\) can be written as:
\(y - 5.8 = m(x +3.4)\)
Now, we need to find the value of 'm' from step 1 and substitute it in the equation.
From step 1,
\[m = \frac{3.4 - 5.8}{-1.8 - (-3.4)} = \frac{-2.4}{1.6} = -1.5\]
Substitute m in the equation:
\(y - 5.8 = -1.5(x +3.4)\)
03
Convert to slope-intercept form
To convert the equation to slope-intercept form, we need to simplify the equation and isolate 'y'.
\(y - 5.8 = -1.5(x +3.4)\)
Distribute the -1.5 into the parentheses:
\(y - 5.8 = -1.5x - 5.1\)
Add 5.8 to both sides of the equation:
\(y = -1.5x + 0.7\)
The equation of the line containing the given points in slope-intercept form is \(y = -1.5x + 0.7\).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Calculating the Slope
The slope of a line is a measure of its steepness and direction. When given two points on the line, calculating the slope is straightforward. You use the formula:
- \( m = \frac{y_2 - y_1}{x_2 - x_1} \)
- First, calculate \(3.4 - 5.8\) to find the difference in \(y\)-coordinates.
- Then, calculate \(-1.8 - (-3.4)\) to find the difference in \(x\)-coordinates, which is the same as \(-1.8 + 3.4\).
Equation of a Line
The equation of a line in a coordinate plane can be expressed in various forms. The most common forms include:
- Slope-intercept form: \(y = mx + b\)
- Point-slope form: \(y - y_1 = m(x - x_1)\)
- Standard form: \(Ax + By = C\)
Point-Slope Form
The point-slope form of a line's equation is quite useful when you have a point on the line and know the slope. It's expressed as:
- \(y - y_1 = m(x - x_1)\)
- \(y - 5.8 = -1.5(x + 3.4)\)
Coordinate Geometry
Coordinate geometry, or analytic geometry, is all about using coordinates to represent geometric shapes and their relationships. In this exercise, we're dealing with a line, one of the simplest geometric shapes. By using coordinate geometry, we understand important properties such as:
- Slope and its implication on line orientation.
- Intercepts which give an understanding of where the line crosses the axes.
- Distance between points if needed, although not in this direct exercise.