Question 695502
see this link on the various forms of equations for lines
http://www.analyzemath.com/line/different_forms.html

The purplemath site is a great resource too.

Part B of this problem asks you to convert the answer you have in part A, into the general form (ax + by = c), where a,b and c are integers. Usually one expects a to be a positive integer.

So let's walk thru the whole thing
{{{(y[2] - y[1])/(x[2] - x[1]) = m}}}
{{{(4 - (-1))/(8-2) = m }}}
{{{5/8 = m}}}
Use that value for to to solve part a
{{{y - (-1) = (5/8)(x - 2) }}}
{{{y+1 = (5/8)(x - 2)}}}

I suspect you're answer differs from the one given in the valueof the slope (m). Remember subtracting a negative numbers (minus a minus) ends up as a plus.


Now on to part b
{{{y+1 = (5/8)(x - 2)}}}
{{{8(y+1) = 5(x-2)}}}
{{{8y + 8 = 5x - 10}}}
{{{-5x + 8y = -18}}}
{{{5x -8y = 18}}}