document.write( "Question 136435: Find an equation of the line containing the given pair of points.
\n" ); document.write( "(-3, -2) and (-7, -1)
\n" ); document.write( "The equation of line y is?
\n" ); document.write( "Help please.
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Algebra.Com's Answer #99957 by Earlsdon(6294)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
You can start with the slope-intercept form of a linear equation:
\n" ); document.write( "\"y+=+mx%2Bb\" where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept.
\n" ); document.write( " Let's find the slope, m, using the slope formula:
\n" ); document.write( "\"m+=+%28y%5B2%5D-y%5B1%5D%29%2F%28x%5B2%5D-x%5B1%5D%29\" The x's and y's are taken from the two given points: (-3, -2) = (\"x%5B1%5D\",\"y%5B1%5D\") and (-7, -1) = (\"x%5B2%5D\",\"y%5B2%5D\") So, making the appropriate substitution, we get:
\n" ); document.write( "\"m+=+%28-1-%28-2%29%29%2F%28-7-%28-3%29%29\" Simplifying,...
\n" ); document.write( "\"m+=+-%281%2F4%29\"
\n" ); document.write( "So you can start your equation with:
\n" ); document.write( "\"y+=+%28-1%2F4%29x%2Bb\" Now you need to find the value of b, the y-intercept.
\n" ); document.write( "You can do this by substituting the x- and y-coordinate from either of the two given points into the equation above and solving for b. Let's use the first point (-3, -2) for the x and y.
\n" ); document.write( "\"-2+=+%28-1%2F4%29%28-3%29%2Bb\" Simplify.
\n" ); document.write( "\"-2+=+%283%2F4%29%2Bb\" Subtract \"3%2F4\" from both sides.
\n" ); document.write( "\"-11%2F4+=+b\"
\n" ); document.write( "Now you can write the final equation:
\n" ); document.write( "\"y+=+%28-1%2F4%29x-11%2F4\"
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