document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1161035>Question 1161035</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> For my homework it says 'Find the value of x or y so that the line passing through the two points has a given slope.' \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "For this problem, find the value of x.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(x,-7), (1,2); m=3\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "I am unsure of how to solve this, or about my answer, but I got\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "x=2.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Please tell me if it's correct and explain how to solve these types of problems...\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Thank You! </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #784494 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><B>greenestamps(13198)</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=784494\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "You should know how to solve problems like this using the formula for finding the slope of the line containing two given points, as shown by the other tutor.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "However, beginning students especially often get wrong answers because they plug the numbers in the wrong places in the formula.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "I always encourage students to learn to be able to solve this kind of problem using the basic definition of slope instead of the formula.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Slope is the ratio \"rise/run\" -- the ratio of how far you move up or down compared to how far you move right or left.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Between the two given points A(x,-7) and B(1,2), we don't now the run (difference in x coordinates), but we know the difference in the y coordinates from A to B is from -7 to +2, which is 9.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Since we are given that the slope is 3, we know that change of 9 in the y coordinate is 3 times the change in the x coordinate -- so the change in the x coordinate is 9/3 = 3.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "B has an x coordinate of 1; the x coordinate of A has to be 3 less than that, which is 1-3 = -2.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "ANSWER: x = -2<br><BR>\n" );
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