SOLUTION: Write an equation in point-slope form of the line that passes through the points (-5,-4) and (7,-5).

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Question 536148: Write an equation in point-slope form of the line that passes through
the points (-5,-4) and (7,-5).
Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

First let's find the slope of the line through the points and


Note: is the first point . So this means that x%5B1%5D=-5 and y%5B1%5D=-4.
Also, is the second point . So this means that x%5B2%5D=7 and y%5B2%5D=-5.


m=%28y%5B2%5D-y%5B1%5D%29%2F%28x%5B2%5D-x%5B1%5D%29 Start with the slope formula.


m=%28-5--4%29%2F%287--5%29 Plug in y%5B2%5D=-5, y%5B1%5D=-4, x%5B2%5D=7, and x%5B1%5D=-5


m=%28-1%29%2F%287--5%29 Subtract -4 from -5 to get -1


m=%28-1%29%2F%2812%29 Subtract -5 from 7 to get 12


So the slope of the line that goes through the points and is m=-1%2F12


Now let's use the point slope formula:


y-y%5B1%5D=m%28x-x%5B1%5D%29 Start with the point slope formula


y--4=%28-1%2F12%29%28x--5%29 Plug in m=-1%2F12, x%5B1%5D=-5, and y%5B1%5D=-4


y--4=%28-1%2F12%29%28x%2B5%29 Rewrite x--5 as x%2B5


y%2B4=%28-1%2F12%29%28x%2B5%29 Rewrite y--4 as y%2B4


So the equation that goes through the points and in point slope form is y%2B4=%28-1%2F12%29%28x%2B5%29


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Jim