THE LEARNING CENTER Trident Technical College

WRITING EQUATIONS FOR LINES

1 2
1 2
x x
y y

=
This is the formula for finding the !lo"e of a line that passes through two points.
When can I #!e thi! $or#la%
When I am given two points through which a line passes and I am asked to find the slope of that line
Exa"le &' Find the slope of the line which passes through the points (2, -! and (-", -1!.
(
)
(
)
(
( &
* +
, ( - &
x x
y y

& *
& *
=

+
=


=

=
An!.er# The slope of the line is
(
)
.
This formula is called the !lo"e/interce"t $or#la for a line $ecause it displa%s $oth
the slope and the %-intercept of the line.
% & ' ( 0
)lope & %-intercept & 0
When can I #!e thi! $or#la%
When I am given the e*uation for a line and I am asked to find the slope and %-intercept of that line
or
When I am given the slope and %-intercept of a line and I am asked to write an e*uation for the line

Exa"le *' Find the slope and the %-intercept of the line whose e*uation is 2' - +% & ".
To find the slope and %-intercept, solve the e*uation for %.
)olving for % automaticall% puts the e*uation into % & m' ( $ form, the
form where %ou can readil% see the slope and the %-intercept.
An!.er# The slope of the line is
1
&
. The %-intercept is -23 /+45,.
5
+
x
1
&
y
5
+
5
x *
5
y 5
+ x * y 5
+ y 5 x *
=

+ =
=
)lope %-intercept
Exa"le 6' Write an e*uation for the line that has a slope of ,-.2 and a %-intercept of 12.
/emem$er that the numerical value of the slope replaces and the numerical value of the %-intercept
replaces 0 in % & ' ( 0.
An!.er# &* x
*
7
y + = .
/ev. 11.0"
Cl#e! a0o#t .hen to #!e di$$erent $or#la!
0 x y + =
Cl#e! $or
8AT &2*
Serie!
(2,1!
(2,0!
(2,-2!
(-1,2! (0,2! (2,2!
WRITING EQUATIONS FOR LINES 9age *
This formula is called the "oint/!lo"e $or#la for a line $ecause m represents
the slope and '1 and %1 represent the '- and %-coordinates of a point through
which the line passes.

When can I #!e thi! $or#la%
When I am given the slope of a line and a point and I am asked to write an e*uation for the line which has
the given slope and which passes through the given point
Exa"le 1' Write an e*uation for the line that passes through the point (-", 1! and that has a slope of .".
The slope of the line is m. m & ."
The '-coordinate of the given point is '1. '1 %1
The %-coordinate of the given point is %1. (-", 1!
To get the e*uation for the line, plug in the numerical values for m, '1, and %1
Then isolate % to get the answer in % & m' ( $ form.
An!.er#
&2 x
+
(
y
6 ( x
+
(
y
( x
+
(
6 y
, + x -
+
(
6 y
,, + - x -
+
(
6 y
, x x - y y
& &
+ =
+ + =
+ =
+ =
=
=
:ertical Line!
The slope of all vertical lines is undefined.
; <#nde$ined<
Hori=ontal Line!
The slope of all hori2ontal lines is 2ero.
;2
The e*uation for all vertical lines can $e written
as ' & a constant. (3 never appears in the
e*uation for a vertical line.!
4ook at the vertical line to
the left. )everal points on
that line have $een
la$eled. 5o matter
whether the %-coordinate
for the point is positive,
2ero, or negative, the '-
coordinate does not
change. It remains the same, the constant 2.
Therefore the e*uation for this vertical line is
x ; *.
The e*uation for all hori2ontal lines can $e
written as % & a constant. (6 never appears in
the e*uation for a hori2ontal line.!
4ook at the
hori2ontal line to the
left. )everal points on
that line have $een
la$eled. 5o matter
whether the '- coordinate
for the point is positive,
2ero, or negative, the %-coordinate does not
change. It remains the same, the constant 2.
Therefore the e*uation for this hori2ontal line
is y ; *.
Cl#e! a0o#t >ertical and hori=ontal line!
, x x - y y
& &
=
WRITING EQUATIONS FOR LINES 9age 6
9arallel line!
If two lines are "arallel, their slopes are
the !ae numerical value?
If the slope of a given line is ".-, then ever% line that is parallel to
the given line will also have a slope of ".- $ecause parallel lines
have the same slope.
9er"endic#lar line!
If two lines are "er"endic#lar, the
numerical values of their slopes are the
negati>e reci"rocal! of each other.
If the slope of a given line is ".-, then ever% line that is
perpendicular to the given line will have a slope of ,-.", $ecause
".- and ,-." are the negative reciprocals of each other.
5egative means that the slopes have opposite signs. /eciprocal
means that the numerator and denominator have traded places.
(The numerator and denominator have flipped upside down.)
Exa"le +' Write an e*uation for the line that is parallel to "' ( 2% & - and that passes through the point
(1, 7!.
What strateg% should $e used8

In order to write an e*uation for a line, %ou usuall% need to know the slope of that line. 3ou can use the
slope of "' ( 2% & - since it is parallel to the line whose e*uation %ou are asked to write.
To find the slope of "' ( 2% & -. solve for %. This puts the e*uation into % & m' ( $ form.
9lug $oth the slope that %ou :ust found and the given point into the point-slope formula.
point (1, 7!
'1 %1
)lope
An!.er'
Cl#e! a0o#t "arallel and "er"endic#lar line!
9#tting all the cl#e! together
*
7
x
*
+
y
7 x + y *
7 y * x +
+ =
+ =
= +
*
*(
x
*
+
y
)
*
&+
x
*
+
y
*
&+
x
*
+
) y
, 6 x -
*
+
) y
, x x - y y
& &
+ =
+ + =
+ =
=
=
An!.er'
point (, 2!
'1 %1
9oints (", -1! (-;, -2!
'1 %1 '2 %2
WRITING EQUATIONS FOR LINES 9age 1
Exa"le )' Write an e*uation for the line that is perpendicular to ' - 1% & 11 and that passes through the
point (, 2!.
What strateg% should $e used8
In order to write an e*uation for a line, %ou usuall% need to know the slope of that line. 3ou can use the
negative reciprocal of the slope of ' - 1% & 11 since it is perpendicular to the line whose e*uation %ou are
asked to write.
To find the slope of ' - 1% & 11, solve for %. This puts the e*uation into % & m' ( $ form.
9lug $oth the negative reciprocal of the slope that %ou :ust found and the given point into the point-slope
formula.

)lope
The negative reciprocal of 1.1 is ,1.
Exa"le (' Write an e*uation for the line that passes through the points (", -1! and (-;, -2!.
What strateg% should $e used8
In order to write an e*uation for a line, %ou usuall% need to know the slope of that line. 3ou can use the
slope formula to find the needed slope.
5e't %ou can plug the slope and one of the given points into the point-slope formula to get the e*uation for
the line.


)lope
Exa"le 5' Write an e*uation for the line that passes through the points (", ;! and (-1, ;!.
What strateg% should $e used8
5otice that $oth points have the same %-value. /emem$er that all of the points on a hori2ontal line have
the same %-values. Therefore, these points are on a hori2ontal line.
/emem$er that the e*uation for a hori2ontal line can $e written as % & a constant. In this case, the
constant must $e ; since that is the %-value common to $oth points.
WRITING EQUATIONS FOR LINES 9age +
6
&&
x
6
&
y
6
&&
6
x
6
y 6
&& x y 6
&& y 6 x
=

+ =
=
*6 x 6 y
* *& x 6 y
*& x 6 * y
, ( x - 6 * y
, x x - y y
& &
+ =
+ + =
+ =
=
=
7
&

7
&

7
& *

+ 1
, & - *

x x
y y

& *
& *
=

+
=


=

=
7
&1
x
7
&
y
&
7
+
x
7
&
y
7
+
x
7
&
& y
, + x -
7
&
& y
, + x -
7
&
, & - y
, x x - y y
& &
=
=
= +
= +
=
= <se the slope and the
point (", -1! in the point-
slope formula.
An!.er'
An!.er' y ; 1
Exa"le 7' Write an e*uation for the line that passes through the points (", ;! and (", -7!.
What strateg% should $e used8
5otice that $oth points have the same '-value. /emem$er that all of the points on a vertical line have the
same '-values. Therefore, these points are on a vertical line.
/emem$er that the e*uation for a vertical line can $e written as ' & a constant. In this case, the constant
must $e " since that is the '-value common to $oth points.
An!.er' x ; +
9ractice "ro0le!'
1. Find an e*uation for the line that passes through the points (;, 12! and (;, 1!. (Hint: Both points have the
same x-values.)
2. Write the e*uation for a line with a slope of 7." that passes through the point (-, -1!.
1. Write an e*uation for the line which passes through the point (1,12! and which is parallel to ;' ( 2% & 7.
(Hint: Parallel lines have the same slope.)
;. Find an e*uation for the line which passes through the points (-, --! and (--, !.
". Write an e*uation for a line which passes through the points (1, ;! and (1, 1-!. (Hint: Both points have the
same x-values.)
7. Find an e*uation for the line which is perpendicular to ' , 1% & " and which passes through the point
(-7, !. (Hint: Perpendicular slopes are the neative reciprocals of each other.)
. Write an e*uation for the line which passes through the points (-, -"! and (;, -"!. (Hint: Both points have
the same !-values.)
+. Find an e*uation for the line which has a %-intercept of ; and which has a slope of ,.
-. Write an e*uation for the line which passes through the point (-11, -1! and which is parallel to % & +. (Hint:
" # $ is a hori%ontal line. &ince all hori%ontal lines are parallel to each other' the e(uation that !ou write
should )e a hori%ontal line.)
10. Write an e*uation for the line which passes through the point (-11, -1! and which is parallel to ' & 7. (Hint:
x # * is a vertical line. &ince all vertical lines are parallel to each other' the e(uation that !ou write should
)e a vertical line.)
11. Write an e*uation for the line which passes through the point (, +! and which is perpendicular to % & -1.
(Hint: +ertical lines and hori%ontal lines are perpendicular to each other. &ince ! # -, is a hori%ontal line'
!ou will want to write an e(uation for a vertical line.)
12. Write an e*uation for the line which passes through the point (;, "! and which is perpendicular to ' & -.
(Hint: +ertical lines and hori%ontal lines are perpendicular to each other. &ince x # - is a vertical line' !ou
will want to write an e(uation for a hori%ontal line.)
An!.er! to "ractice "ro0le!'
1+ ' 2 % . 1
"
1
'
"
7
% . 2
; ' . 1
+ =
+ =
=
11 ' 1 % . 7
1 ' . "
1 '
-
+
% . ;
=
=
=
1 % . -
; ' % . +
" % .
=
+ =
=
" % . 12
' . 11
11 ' . 10
=
=
=