SOLUTION: Write the equation of a line in slope -intercept form that passes through (-1,7) and (-2,-15).

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Question 92562: Write the equation of a line in slope -intercept form that passes through (-1,7)
and (-2,-15).

Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Solved by pluggable solver: Finding the Equation of a Line
First lets find the slope through the points (-1,7) and (-2,-15)


m=%28y%5B2%5D-y%5B1%5D%29%2F%28x%5B2%5D-x%5B1%5D%29 Start with the slope formula (note: (x%5B1%5D,y%5B1%5D) is the first point (-1,7) and (x%5B2%5D,y%5B2%5D) is the second point (-2,-15))


m=%28-15-7%29%2F%28-2--1%29 Plug in y%5B2%5D=-15,y%5B1%5D=7,x%5B2%5D=-2,x%5B1%5D=-1 (these are the coordinates of given points)


m=+-22%2F-1 Subtract the terms in the numerator -15-7 to get -22. Subtract the terms in the denominator -2--1 to get -1




m=22 Reduce



So the slope is

m=22





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Now let's use the point-slope formula to find the equation of the line:




------Point-Slope Formula------
y-y%5B1%5D=m%28x-x%5B1%5D%29 where m is the slope, and (x%5B1%5D,y%5B1%5D) is one of the given points


So lets use the Point-Slope Formula to find the equation of the line


y-7=%2822%29%28x--1%29 Plug in m=22, x%5B1%5D=-1, and y%5B1%5D=7 (these values are given)



y-7=%2822%29%28x%2B1%29 Rewrite x--1 as x%2B1



y-7=22x%2B%2822%29%281%29 Distribute 22


y-7=22x%2B22 Multiply 22 and 1 to get 22%2F1. Now reduce 22%2F1 to get 22

y=22x%2B22%2B7 Add 7 to both sides to isolate y


y=22x%2B29 Combine like terms 22 and 7 to get 29

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Answer:



So the equation of the line which goes through the points (-1,7) and (-2,-15) is:y=22x%2B29


The equation is now in y=mx%2Bb form (which is slope-intercept form) where the slope is m=22 and the y-intercept is b=29


Notice if we graph the equation y=22x%2B29 and plot the points (-1,7) and (-2,-15), we get this: (note: if you need help with graphing, check out this solver)


Graph of y=22x%2B29 through the points (-1,7) and (-2,-15)


Notice how the two points lie on the line. This graphically verifies our answer.