document.write( "Question 189702: Find an equation of the line containing the given pair of points. (4,1) and (12,3) \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #142342 by jim_thompson5910(35256)\"\" \"About 
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\n" ); document.write( "First let's find the slope of the line through the points and \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Note: is the first point and is the second point .\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"m=%28y%5B2%5D-y%5B1%5D%29%2F%28x%5B2%5D-x%5B1%5D%29\" Start with the slope formula.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"m=%283-1%29%2F%2812-4%29\" Plug in \"y%5B2%5D=3\", \"y%5B1%5D=1\", \"x%5B2%5D=12\", and \"x%5B1%5D=4\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"m=%282%29%2F%2812-4%29\" Subtract \"1\" from \"3\" to get \"2\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"m=%282%29%2F%288%29\" Subtract \"4\" from \"12\" to get \"8\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"m=1%2F4\" Reduce\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So the slope of the line that goes through the points and is \"m=1%2F4\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now let's use the point slope formula:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y-y%5B1%5D=m%28x-x%5B1%5D%29\" Start with the point slope formula\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y-1=%281%2F4%29%28x-4%29\" Plug in \"m=1%2F4\", \"x%5B1%5D=4\", and \"y%5B1%5D=1\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y-1=%281%2F4%29x%2B%281%2F4%29%28-4%29\" Distribute\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y-1=%281%2F4%29x-1\" Multiply\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y=%281%2F4%29x-1%2B1\" Add 1 to both sides. \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y=%281%2F4%29x%2B0\" Combine like terms. \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y=%281%2F4%29x\" Remove the trailing zero\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So the equation that goes through the points and is \"y=%281%2F4%29x\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " Notice how the graph of \"y=%281%2F4%29x\" goes through the points and . So this visually verifies our answer.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " Graph of \"y=%281%2F4%29x\" through the points and \r
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