|
Question 1105231: A line has a slope of -6 and includes the points (g,8) and (6,-4)
4). What is the value of g?
Found 2 solutions by josgarithmetic, greenestamps:
Answer by josgarithmetic(39630)   (Show Source):
Answer by greenestamps(13209)  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
You will like math better if you understand it, rather than plugging numbers into some formula.
Slope means how fast you go up or down as you move to the right. Think of the slope of a path you are walking along in the mountains -- how much does the path go up or down as you take a step forward?
The given slope is -6; that means you go down 6 units for each unit you move to the right.
From (g,8) to (6,-4) you went down 12, from 8 to -4.
If you went down 12 units, and the slope tells you that you go down 6 units for each unit you move to the right, it means you moved 2 units to the right.
If you ended up at 6 when you moved 2 units to the right, you must have started at 4.
g = 4.
If you use the slope formula blindly without trying to understand it....
But we already found the answer is g=4. How can that be?
It can be, because I put the wrong numbers in the wrong places in the formula. If you just plug numbers into formulas without understanding what you are doing, it is easy to get wrong answers.
So let's use the formula correctly....
If you choose to use the formula, at least check to see if your answer makes sense. If you end up with the wrong answer of g=8, a quick rough sketch shows that the slope between (8,8) and (6,-4) is NOT -6; so you know you made an error somewhere.
If you use the formula and get the answer g=4, a quick sketch shows that -6 is a reasonable answer for the slope between (4,8) and (6,-4).
|
|
|
| |
