document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=120499>Question 120499</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> How do I determine which two equations represent parallel lines? (a) y = 5/3x + 4 (b) y = 3/5x - 7 (c) y = 2x + 8 (d) y = 2x - 4?? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #88345 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><B>bucky(2189)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><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/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=88345\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> All of these equations are in the slope-intercept form. This form is:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "y = m*x + b<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "where m ... the multiplier of x ... is the slope and b is the value on the y-axis where the<BR>\n" );
document.write( "graph crosses the y-axis.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "From this you can tell that the slope of the graph for equation (a) is (5/3) because (5/3)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "is the multiplier of x.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Similarly the slope of (b) is (3/5)<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "The slope of (c) is 2<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "and the slope of (d) is 2<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "If the lines are to be parallel, they must have the same slopes. (You might be able to <BR>\n" );
document.write( "visualize that if the slopes are different, the lines have to intersect at some place.)<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Notice that equations (c) and (d) both have the same slope and therefore, they are the<BR>\n" );
document.write( "pair of graphs that are parallel. <BR>\n" );
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document.write( "To help you visualize the graphs ... here they are. The graph of (a) is in \"red\" ... (b) is<BR>\n" );
document.write( "in green ... (c) is in blue ... and (d) is in purple. You can see that the blue and purple<BR>\n" );
document.write( "graphs (c) and (d) are parallel.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Hope this helps you to understand the problem.<BR>\n" );
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