SOLUTION: how do you find the equation for these points {4,-8} {-3,1}

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Question 912766: how do you find the equation for these points {4,-8} {-3,1}
Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256)   (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 (,) and (,)


Start with the slope formula (note: (,) is the first point (,) and (,) is the second point (,))


Plug in ,,, (these are the coordinates of given points)


Subtract the terms in the numerator to get . Subtract the terms in the denominator to get




Reduce



So the slope is







------------------------------------------------


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




------Point-Slope Formula------
where is the slope, and (,) is one of the given points


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


Plug in , , and (these values are given)



Rewrite as



Distribute


Multiply and to get

Subtract from both sides to isolate y


Combine like terms and to get (note: if you need help with combining fractions, check out this solver)



------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Answer:



So the equation of the line which goes through the points (,) and (,) is:


The equation is now in form (which is slope-intercept form) where the slope is and the y-intercept is


Notice if we graph the equation and plot the points (,) and (,), we get this: (note: if you need help with graphing, check out this solver)


Graph of through the points (,) and (,)


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





Let me know if you need more help or if you need me to explain a step in more detail.
Feel free to email me at jim_thompson5910@hotmail.com
or you can visit my website here: http://www.freewebs.com/jimthompson5910/home.html

Thanks,

Jim

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