Slopes and Equations of Lines (2024)

Slopes and Equations of Lines

Some useful information about lines

Fact
You can use this fact when you know:
Slope formula:Slopes and Equations of Lines (1)
two points on a line
Slope-intercept formula: y = mx + b
the slope and y-intercept of a line
Point-slope formula: y - y1 = m(x - x1)
the slope of a line and a point on the line
Parallel lines have equal slopes
the slope of a line
The slopes of perpendicular lines are opposite reciprocals
the slope of a line

The most difficult part of working with points, slopesand lines is determining which formula to use when solving specific problems.When you are trying to solve a problem, ask yourself these questions:

  1. What am I supposed to find?
  2. What do I already know?
  3. What method will I use?


The chart below outlines the methods that are appropriateto use when solving specific types of problems.

What do you want to find?
What do you know already?
Method to use
Slope of a lineCoordinates of two points on thelineUse the slope formula
Slope and y-intercept of a lineEquation of a line in standardformWrite the equation in slope-interceptform
Equation of a lineSlope of the line and a pointon that lineUse the point-slope formula
Equation of a lineSlope and y-intercept of a lineUse the slope-intercept formula
Equation of a lineCoordinates of two points on thelineUse the slope formula to findthe slope of the line, then use the slope and one of the points in thepoint-slope formula
Equation of a line parallel toa given lineEquation of the given parallelline and a point on your lineWrite the equation of the givenline in slope-intercept form to determine its slope, then use that sameslope and your point in the point-slope formula
Equation of a line perpendicularto a given lineEquation of the given perpendicularline and a point on your lineWrite the equation of the givenline in slope-intercept form to determine its slope, then use the oppositereciprocal of that slope and your point in the point-slope formula

Let's look at some examples.

Example 1 What is the slope of a line through thepoints (2,3) and (4,-5) ?

What do we want to find? The slope of a line

What do we already know? Two points on the line

What method will we use? Use the slope formula

Slopes and Equations of Lines (2)Slopes and Equations of Lines (3)


Example 2 What are the slope and y-interceptof 2x - 3y = 5 ?

What do we want to find? The slope and y-intercept

What do we already know? The equation of a linein standard form

What method will we use? Write the equation inslope-intercept form

2x - 3y = 5

- 3y = - 2x + 5

y = 2/3 x - 5/3

Since the equation now is in y = mx + b form, we can identifythe slope m=2/3 and the y-intercept b=-5/3


Example 3 What is the equation of a line withslope - 2 which passes through (3,-5)?

What do we want to find? The equation of a line

What do we already know? The slope and a pointon the line

What method will we use? Use the point-slope formula

m = -2, (x1, y1) = (3, -5)

y - y1 = m(x - x1)

y - -5 = -2(x - 3)

y + 5 = -2x + 6

y = -2x + 1


Example 4 What is the equation of a line withslope 3/4 and y-intercept - 3?

What do we want to find? The equation of a line

What do we already know? The slope and y-intercept

What method will we use? Use the slope-interceptformula

m = 3/4, b = -3

y = mx + b

y = 3/4 x + -3

y = 3/4 x - 3


Example 5 What is the equation of a line thatcontains the points (3,4) and (1,-2)?

What do we want to find? The equation of a line

What do we already know? Two points on the line

What method will we use? Use the slope formulato find the slope of the line, then use the slope and one of the pointsin the point-slope formula

Slopes and Equations of Lines (4)Slopes and Equations of Lines (5)

Now use one of the points and our slope in the point-slopeformula:

Slopes and Equations of Lines (6)m= 3

y - y1 = m(x - x1)

y - 4 = 3(x - 3)

y - 4 = 3x - 9

y = 3x - 5

Example 6 Find the equation of a line that goes through(-1, 4) and is parallel to 3x-y=5.What do we want to find? The equation of a line

What do we already know? A point on our line andthe equation of a line parallel to our line

What method will we use? Write the equation ofthe given line in slope-intercept form to determine its slope, then usethat same slope and your point in the point-slope formula

3x - y = 5

- y = - 3x + 5

y = 3x - 5

m = 3, b = - 5

So the slope of the given line is 3

Parallel lines have equal slopes, so the slope of ourline is also 3. Our line also goes through the point (-1,4), so we'll writean equation with the point-slope formula.

y - y1 = m(x - x1)

y - 4 = 3(x - - 1)

y - 4 = 3(x + 1)

y - 4 = 3x + 3

y = 3x + 7


Example 7 Find the equation of the line through(4,-1) that is perpendicular to 4x+3y=2

What do we want to find? The equation of a line

What do we already know? A point on our line andthe equation of a line perpendicular to our line

What method will we use? Write the equation ofthe given line in slope-intercept form to determine its slope, then usethe opposite reciprocal of that slope and your point in the point-slopeformula

4x + 3y = 2

3y = - 4x + 2

y = - 4/3 x + 2/3

m = - 4/3, b = 2/3

Perpendicular lines have slopes that are opposite reciprocals,so the slope of our line is the opposite reciprocal of -4/3, or 3/4. Ourline also goes through the point (4,-1), so we'll write an equation withthe point-slope formula.

y - y1 = m(x - x1)

y - - 1 = 3/4(x - 4)

y + 1 = 3/4 x - 3

y = 3/4 x - 4

Slopes and Equations of Lines (2024)

FAQs

What is the slope equation and answer? ›

In the equation y = mx + b, m is the slope of the line and b is the intercept. x and y represent the distance of the line from the x-axis and y-axis, respectively. The value of b is equal to y when x = 0, and m shows how steep the line is.

How to find slope from equation of line? ›

In mathematical terms, the slope is the rate of change of y with respect to x. When dealing with linear equations, we can easily identify the slope of the line represented by the equation by putting the equation in slope-intercept form, y = mx + b, where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept.

How can you find the slope of a line choose all possible answers? ›

To find the slope of a line, all you have to do is divide the rise of the line by its run. To get the rise and run, pick any two coordinates along the line. For instance, your first coordinate might be at 2 on the x axis and 4 on the y axis, while your second coordinate might be at 5 on the x axis and 7 on the y axis.

What are the answers to equation of a line? ›

The equation of a straight line is y=mx+c y = m x + c m is the gradient and c is the height at which the line crosses the y -axis, also known as the y -intercept.

How to do slope in math? ›

The slope of a line is a measure of its steepness. Mathematically, slope is calculated as "rise over run" (change in y divided by change in x).

How do I write an equation for slope? ›

Learn how to write an equation in slope-intercept form (y=mx+b) for the line with a slope of -3/4 that goes through the point (0,8). We identify the slope (m) and y-intercept (b) to create our equation y = (-3/4)*x + 8.

What is the slope rule? ›

In other term, the slope of a line between two points is also said to be the rise of the line from one point to another (along y-axis) over the run (along x-axis). Therefore, Slope, m = Rise/Run.

How to find slope and y-intercept? ›

The slope-intercept form of a line is: y=mx+b where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept. The y-intercept is always where the line intersects the y-axis, and will always appear as (0,b) in coordinate form.

When to use the slope formula? ›

The slope formula is used to calculate the inclination or steepness of a line. It finds application in determining the slope of any line by finding the ratio of the change in the y-axis to the change in the x-axis.

What is the point slope formula? ›

Point-slope is the general form y-y₁=m(x-x₁) for linear equations. It emphasizes the slope of the line and a point on the line (that is not the y-intercept). We can rewrite an equation in point-slope form to be in slope-intercept form y=mx+b, to highlight the same line's slope and y-intercept.

What is an example of a slope? ›

Whenever the equation of a line is written in the form y = mx + b, it is called the slope-intercept form of the equation. The m is the slope of the line. And b is the b in the point that is the y-intercept (0, b). For example, for the equation y = 3x – 7, the slope is 3, and the y-intercept is (0, −7).

What is the simple slope equation? ›

The slope equation using the equation of line is given as, y = mx + b, here, m is the slope and b is the y-intercept.

What is the slope of the function answer? ›

This is the process of finding the rate of change of the value y (dependent variable) of the function changes with respect to that of the variable x (independent variable). The slope itself describes the direction and steepness of the line.

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