Slopes and Equations of Lines

The student is able to (I can):

• Find the slope of a line given

— Graph
— Two points
— Equation
• Write the equation of a line given
— Slope and y-intercept
— Slope and point on line
— Two points
— Graph
rise The difference in the y-values of two points
on a line.

run The difference in the x-values of two points

on a line.
y
8 run = 4
• (xx2, y2)
6

rise = 6
4

•(xx1, y1)
2 4 6 8 x

-2
slope The ratio of rise to run.
run If (xx1, y1) and
(xx2, y2) are any two points on a line, the
slope of the line is
y2 − y1
m=
x2 − x1

So, for the previous example, substitute

(11, 1) for (xx1, y1) and (5
5, 7) for (xx2, y2):
y2 − y1 7 − 1 6 3
m= = = =
x2 − x1 5 − 1 4 2

Note: Always reduce fractions to their

simplest forms. Also, it’s usually better to
leave improper fractions improper.
 Summary: Slope of a Line

positive slope negative slope

zero slope undefined slope

 Practice
Find the slopes between the following points:

1. (2, —1) and (8, —4) 2. (—3, 10) and (5, —6)
−4 − ( −1) −3 1 −6 − 10 −16
m= = =− m= = = −2
8−2 6 2 5 − ( −3 ) 8

3. (1, 12) and (—10, —10) 4. (22, 4) and (0, 28)

−10 − 12 −22 28 − 4 24 12
m= = =2 m= = =−
−10 − 1 −11 0 − 22 −22 11
Point-Slope Given the slope, m, and a point on the line
Form (xx1, y1), the equation of the line is

y — y1 = m(x — x1)

Example: Write the equation of the line

whose slope is 2, which goes through the
point (11, 6)

y — 6 = 2(x — 1)

In point-slope form, you can leave it like this

— you don’t have to simplify it any
further.
Slope- Given the slope, m, and b, the y-intercept,
Intercept Form the equation of the line is

y = mx + b

Example: For m = —3 and y-intercept 7,

find the equation of the line.

y = —3 x + 7
Horizontal Line For a horizontal line (m
m = 0), the equation
of the line is

y=b

Vertical Line For a vertical line (m

m = undefined),
undefined the
equation of the line is

x = x1

Notice that this equation does not start

with “y=“
 Practice
Write the equations in point-slope form
2
1. m = —2; (3, 5) 2. m = ; (1, 2)
3
2
y — 5 = —2(x — 3) y − 2 = (x − 1)
3
3
3. m = —4; (—1, 4) 4. m = − ; (—2, —3)
4
3
y — 4= —4(x + 1) y + 3 = − (x + 2)
4

Write the equations in slope-intercept form

5. m = 6, b = 2 6. m = —1, b = —4
y = 6x + 2 y = —x — 4
 Practice
7. Write the equation of the line through (—
—1, 0) and (1, 2) in
slope-intercept form.
2−0 2
m= = =1
1 − (−1) 2
Method #1 Method #2
y — 0 = 1(x + 1) 0 = (11)(—
—1 ) + b
y=x+1 0 = —1 + b
1=b
y=x+1