SOLUTION: Find the equation of the line containing (-2, -5) and (-6, 3), in point-slope form.

Algebra ->  Linear-equations -> SOLUTION: Find the equation of the line containing (-2, -5) and (-6, 3), in point-slope form.      Log On


   

Question 553268: Find the equation of the line containing (-2, -5) and (-6, 3), in point-slope form.
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=-2 and y%5B1%5D=-5.
Also, is the second point . So this means that x%5B2%5D=-6 and y%5B2%5D=3.


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


m=%283--5%29%2F%28-6--2%29 Plug in y%5B2%5D=3, y%5B1%5D=-5, x%5B2%5D=-6, and x%5B1%5D=-2


m=%288%29%2F%28-6--2%29 Subtract -5 from 3 to get 8


m=%288%29%2F%28-4%29 Subtract -2 from -6 to get -4


m=-2 Reduce


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


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


y--5=-2%28x%2B2%29 Rewrite x--2 as x%2B2


y%2B5=-2%28x%2B2%29 Rewrite y--5 as y%2B5


So the answer is y%2B5=-2%28x%2B2%29


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