How do you write an equation of a line going through (-1,3), (2,9)?

1 Answer
Jul 22, 2017

See a solution process below:

Explanation:

First, we need to determine the slope of the line. The slope can be found by using the formula: m = (color(red)(y_2) - color(blue)(y_1))/(color(red)(x_2) - color(blue)(x_1))

Where m is the slope and (color(blue)(x_1, y_1)) and (color(red)(x_2, y_2)) are the two points on the line.

Substituting the values from the points in the problem gives:

m = (color(red)(9) - color(blue)(3))/(color(red)(2) - color(blue)(-1)) = (color(red)(9) - color(blue)(3))/(color(red)(2) + color(blue)(1)) = 6/3 = 2

Now, we can use the point-slope formula to write an equation for the line. The point-slope formula states: (y - color(red)(y_1)) = color(blue)(m)(x - color(red)(x_1))

Where color(blue)(m) is the slope and (color(red)(x_1, y_1)) is a point the line passes through.

Substituting the slope we calculated and the values from the first point in the problem gives:

(y - color(red)(3)) = color(blue)(2)(x - color(red)(-1))

(y - color(red)(3)) = color(blue)(2)(x + color(red)(1))

We can also substitute the slope we calculated and the values from the second point in the problem giving:

(y - color(red)(9)) = color(blue)(2)(x - color(red)(2))

If necessary, we can convert this equation to the slope-intercept form by solving for y. The slope-intercept form of a linear equation is: y = color(red)(m)x + color(blue)(b)

Where color(red)(m) is the slope and color(blue)(b) is the y-intercept value.

y - color(red)(9) = (color(blue)(2) xx x) - (color(blue)(2) xx color(red)(2))

y - color(red)(9) = 2x - 4

y - color(red)(9) + 9 = 2x - 4 + 9

y -0 = 2x + 5

y = color(red)(2)x + color(blue)(5)