Slope and Equation of a Line

Oct 13, 2025 by talynt.org 29 views

Introduction

In mathematics, the equation of a line is a fundamental concept that is used to describe the relationship between two variables, typically x and y. Given a set of points, we can use these points to find the equation of the line that passes through them. In this article, we will explore how to find the equation of a line that passes through the points in the given table.

Understanding the Problem

The problem provides a table with five points, each with an x-coordinate and a corresponding y-coordinate. Our goal is to find the equation of the line that passes through these points. To do this, we need to understand the concept of slope and how it relates to the equation of a line.

Slope and Equation of a Line

The slope of a line is a measure of how steep it is. It is calculated as the ratio of the vertical change (rise) to the horizontal change (run) between two points on the line. The equation of a line can be written in the form y = mx + b, where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept.

Finding the Slope

To find the slope of the line that passes through the given points, we can use the formula:

m = (y2 - y1) / (x2 - x1)

where (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) are two points on the line.

Calculating the Slope

Let's calculate the slope using the first two points: (-10, 2) and (-4, 1).

m = (1 - 2) / (-4 - (-10)) m = -1 / 6 m = -1/6

Finding the Equation of the Line

Now that we have the slope, we can use it to find the equation of the line. We can use the point-slope form of the equation of a line, which is:

y - y1 = m(x - x1)

where (x1, y1) is a point on the line and m is the slope.

Using the Point-Slope Form

Let's use the point (-10, 2) and the slope (-1/6) to find the equation of the line.

y - 2 = (-1/6)(x - (-10)) y - 2 = (-1/6)(x + 10) y - 2 = (-1/6)x - 5/3 y = (-1/6)x - 5/3 + 2 y = (-1/6)x + 1/3

Checking the Equation

To check if the equation we found is correct, we can plug in the x and y values of the other points in the table and see if they satisfy the equation.

Checking the First Point

Let's check the first point: (-10, 2).

y = (-1/6)x + 1/3 2 = (-1/6)(-10) + 1/3 2 = 5/3 + 1/3 2 = 6/3 2 = 2

The equation is satisfied for the first point.

Checking the Second Point

Let's check the second point: (-4, 1).

y = (-1/6)x + 1/3 1 = (-1/6)(-4) + 1/3 1 = 2/3 + 1/3 1 = 3/3 1 = 1

The equation is satisfied for the second point.

Checking the Third Point

Let's check the third point: (8, -1).

y = (-1/6)x + 1/3 -1 = (-1/6)(8) + 1/3 -1 = -4/3 + 1/3 -1 = -3/3 -1 = -1

The equation is satisfied for the third point.

Checking the Fourth Point

Let's check the fourth point: (14, -2).

y = (-1/6)x + 1/3 -2 = (-1/6)(14) + 1/3 -2 = -7/3 + 1/3 -2 = -6/3 -2 = -2

The equation is satisfied for the fourth point.

Conclusion

In this article, we found the equation of a line that passes through the points in the given table. We used the point-slope form of the equation of a line and the slope formula to find the equation. We then checked the equation by plugging in the x and y values of the other points in the table and saw that they satisfied the equation.

Equation of a Line that Passes Through the Given Points

The equation of a line that passes through the points in the given table is:

y = (-1/6)x + 1/3

This equation represents a line that passes through the points (-10, 2), (-4, 1), (8, -1), and (14, -2).

Table of Points

x	y
-10	2
-4	1
8	-1
14	-2

Equation of a Line that Passes Through the Given Points

Introduction

In our previous article, we explored how to find the equation of a line that passes through the points in a given table. We used the point-slope form of the equation of a line and the slope formula to find the equation. In this article, we will answer some common questions related to the equation of a line that passes through the given points.

Q: What is the equation of a line that passes through the points (-10, 2), (-4, 1), (8, -1), and (14, -2)?

A: The equation of a line that passes through the points (-10, 2), (-4, 1), (8, -1), and (14, -2) is:

y = (-1/6)x + 1/3

Q: How do I find the slope of the line that passes through the given points?

A: To find the slope of the line that passes through the given points, you can use the formula:

m = (y2 - y1) / (x2 - x1)

where (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) are two points on the line.

Q: What is the point-slope form of the equation of a line?

A: The point-slope form of the equation of a line is:

y - y1 = m(x - x1)

where (x1, y1) is a point on the line and m is the slope.

Q: How do I check if the equation I found is correct?

A: To check if the equation you found is correct, you can plug in the x and y values of the other points in the table and see if they satisfy the equation.

Q: What if I have a table with more than four points? How do I find the equation of the line that passes through all of them?

A: If you have a table with more than four points, you can use the same method to find the equation of the line that passes through all of them. However, you may need to use a different method to find the slope, such as using the least squares method.

Q: Can I use the equation of a line to find the slope of the line that passes through the given points?

A: Yes, you can use the equation of a line to find the slope of the line that passes through the given points. Simply plug in the x and y values of the points into the equation and solve for the slope.

Q: What if I have a table with points that have the same x-coordinate? How do I find the equation of the line that passes through all of them?

A: If you have a table with points that have the same x-coordinate, you can use the same method to find the equation of the line that passes through all of them. However, you may need to use a different method to find the slope, such as using the least squares method.

Q: Can I use the equation of a line to find the y-intercept of the line that passes through the given points?

A: Yes, you can use the equation of a line to find the y-intercept of the line that passes through the given points. Simply plug in the x and y values of the points into the equation and solve for the y-intercept.

Conclusion

In this article, we answered some common questions related to the equation of a line that passes through the given points. We hope that this article has been helpful in understanding how to find the equation of a line that passes through the given points.

Table of Points

x	y
-10	2
-4	1
8	-1
14	-2

Equation of a Line that Passes Through the Given Points

y = (-1/6)x + 1/3