document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1139366>Question 1139366</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> do the points in the following set lie on the same line? explain your answer show all your work. A(1,3) B(4,2) C(-2,4) </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #759841 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><B>greenestamps(13203)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=greenestamps><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=759841\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "There are many formal mathematical methods for finding the answer.  One of them is what the other tutor did; find the equation determined by two of the points and see if the third point satisfies that equation.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "That's mathematically valid; but not very efficient.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "I would find the answer by comparing the slopes between pairs of points.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "And I would find the answer by using my UNDERSTANDING of slopes, rather than using the formal mathematical definition of slope.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Picture the three given points; from left to right, the points are C, A, B.  Determine how far you move to the right, and how far you move up or down, to get from C to A.  Then do the same from A to B.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "C(-2,4) to A(1,3): right 3, down 1.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "A(1,3) to B(4,2): right 3, down 1.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "If you have a basic understanding of slope, those results tell you that the slope from C to A is the same as the slope from A to B; therefore the three points lie on the same line. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );