Finding The Equation of A Line From Two Points

Finding the Equation of a Line from Two Points
Questions
1) Sketch the straight line that passes through the two points given in the following questions, and hence find
the equation that describes the line as has been done in part a).
a) (𝑥𝑥1 , 𝑦𝑦1 ) = (−2, −4)
(𝑥𝑥2 , 𝑦𝑦2 ) = (2,2)
𝑦𝑦2 − 𝑦𝑦1
𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺 =
𝑥𝑥2 − 𝑥𝑥1
2 − −4
=
2 − −2
6
=
4
3
=
2
𝑦𝑦 − 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 = (0, −1)
Equation of a straight line : 𝑦𝑦 = 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 + 𝑐𝑐

𝑐𝑐 is the 𝑦𝑦- intercept, hence
3
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑥𝑥 − 1
2
b) c)
Copyright © Maths Pathway 2018. Reproduction for classroom use permitted. ACMNA215
d) e)
2) Complete the blanks in the following :

a) Find the gradient of the line defined by the points (1,6) and (2,3)
𝑚𝑚 =
(𝑥𝑥1 , 𝑦𝑦1 ) = (1, ⎕)
(𝑥𝑥2 , 𝑦𝑦2 ) = (⎕, 3)
3−⎕
𝑚𝑚 =
⎕−1
=⎕
b) Recall the general form of a linear equation
⎕ = 𝑚𝑚⎕ + 𝑐𝑐
c) Substitute one of the points into the equation, using the value of the 𝑚𝑚 calculated in part b), and hence
find the value of 𝑐𝑐:
⎕ = ⎕ × ⎕ + 𝑐𝑐
𝑐𝑐 = ⎕
d) Hence, state the equation of the straight line defined by the coordinates given by the points in part a):
𝑦𝑦 = ⎕⎕ + ⎕
All points (𝑥𝑥, 𝑦𝑦) on a continuous straight line satisfy the equation of the line which has the general form
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 + 𝑐𝑐.
To find the equation of the line, you need two pieces of information, either:
• the gradient and 𝑦𝑦 −intercept (which give us 𝒎𝒎 and 𝒄𝒄)
or
• the coordinates of two points on the line
The 𝑦𝑦-intercept and the 𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔 can both be found algebraically using only two coordinates.
3) Find the equation of the straight line formed by the following pairs of points, algebraically as has been done
in part a). Leave your answer as a simplified fraction if necessary.
a) (16,5) and (2,3) 1

Therefore, 𝑦𝑦 = 𝑥𝑥 + 𝑐𝑐
𝑦𝑦2 − 𝑦𝑦1 7
𝑚𝑚 = Substitute one point into this equation:
𝑥𝑥2 − 𝑥𝑥1 1
(𝑥𝑥1 , 𝑦𝑦1 ) = (16,5) 5 = × 16 + 𝑐𝑐
(𝑥𝑥2 , 𝑦𝑦2 ) = (2,3) 7
16
3−5 5= + 𝑐𝑐
𝑚𝑚 = 7
2 − 16 16 16 16
−2 5− = + 𝑐𝑐 −
= 7 7 7
−14 35 16 19
1 𝑐𝑐 = − =
= 7 7 7
7 Therefore,
1 19
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑥𝑥 +
7 7
1
= (𝑥𝑥 + 19)
7
(taking out common factor in last step)
2 1 1 2
b) (5,18) 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 (4,0) c) � , − � 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 � , �
3 2 5 5
1 3 7 5
d) � , � 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 � , � e) (−5, −50) 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 (−15, −12)
2 4 8 4
4) Find the equation of the straight line formed by the following pairs of points using algebra. Leave your answer
as a simplified fraction if necessary.
11 3
a) � , − � 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 (−4, 3) b) (40, 2) 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 (−24, 5)
10 10
5 14 5 64
c) (14, 12) 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 (15, 32) d) � , � 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 � , �
3 3 9 8
Answers
1) Sketch the straight line that passes through the two points given in the following questions, and hence find
the equation that describes the line as has been done in part a).
a) (𝑥𝑥1 , 𝑦𝑦1 ) = (−2, −4)
(𝑥𝑥2 , 𝑦𝑦2 ) = (2,2)
𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺 =
2 − −4
=
2 − −2
6
=
4
3
=
2

𝑐𝑐 is the 𝑦𝑦- intercept, hence
3
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑥𝑥 − 1
2
b) c)
(𝑥𝑥1 , 𝑦𝑦1 ) = (−3,3) (𝑥𝑥1 , 𝑦𝑦1 ) = (−3,4)

(𝑥𝑥2 , 𝑦𝑦2 ) = (1, −4) (𝑥𝑥2 , 𝑦𝑦2 ) = (3, −2)
𝑦𝑦2 − 𝑦𝑦1 𝑦𝑦2 − 𝑦𝑦1
𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺 = 𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺 =
𝑥𝑥2 − 𝑥𝑥1 𝑥𝑥2 − 𝑥𝑥1
−4 − 3 −2 − 4
= =
1 − −3 3−3
−7 −6
= =
4 6
= −1
𝑦𝑦 − 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 = (0, −2.25)
𝑦𝑦 − 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 = (0,1)
𝑐𝑐 is the 𝑦𝑦- intercept, hence Equation of a straight line : 𝑦𝑦 = 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 + 𝑐𝑐
7 𝑐𝑐 is the 𝑦𝑦- intercept, hence
𝑦𝑦 = − 𝑥𝑥 − 2.25
4 𝑦𝑦 = −𝑥𝑥 + 1
(note: depending on the scale used for your
axis – the y-intercept should be close to -2).
d) e)
(𝑥𝑥1 , 𝑦𝑦1 ) = (−6,6) (𝑥𝑥1 , 𝑦𝑦1 ) = (−4, −8)

(𝑥𝑥2 , 𝑦𝑦2 ) = (4, −4) (𝑥𝑥2 , 𝑦𝑦2 ) = (6,6)
𝑦𝑦2 − 𝑦𝑦1 𝑦𝑦2 − 𝑦𝑦1
𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺 = 𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺 =
𝑥𝑥2 − 𝑥𝑥1 𝑥𝑥2 − 𝑥𝑥1
−4 − 6 6 − −8
= =
4 − −6 6 − −4
−10 14
= =
10 10
= −1 7
=
5
𝑦𝑦 − 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 = (0,0)
𝑐𝑐 is the 𝑦𝑦- intercept, hence Equation of a straight line : 𝑦𝑦 = 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 + 𝑐𝑐
𝑦𝑦 = −𝑥𝑥 𝑐𝑐 is the 𝑦𝑦- intercept, hence
7
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑥𝑥 − 2
5
2) Complete the blanks in the following :
a) Find the gradient of the line defined by the points (1,6) and (2,3)
𝑚𝑚 =
(𝑥𝑥1 , 𝑦𝑦1 ) = (1,6)
(𝑥𝑥2 , 𝑦𝑦2 ) = (2,3)
3−6
𝑚𝑚 =
2−1
3
=−
1
= −3
b) Recall the general form of a linear equation
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 + 𝑐𝑐
c) Substitute one of the points into the equation, using the value of the 𝑚𝑚 calculated in part b), and hence
find the value of 𝑐𝑐:
𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢 (2,3) − 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑡𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑒 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑡𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑒 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢
3 = −3 × 2 + 𝑐𝑐
3 = −6 + 𝑐𝑐
3 + 6 = −6 + 𝑐𝑐 + 6
𝑐𝑐 = 9
d) Hence, state the equation of the straight line defined by the coordinates given by the points in part a):
𝑦𝑦 = −3𝑥𝑥 + 9
= −3(𝑥𝑥 − 3) (𝑡𝑡𝑎𝑎𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 − 3)
All points (𝑥𝑥, 𝑦𝑦) on a continuous straight line satisfy the equation of the line which has the general form
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 + 𝑐𝑐.
To find the equation of the line, you need two pieces of information, either:
• the gradient and 𝑦𝑦 −intercept (which give us 𝒎𝒎 and 𝒄𝒄)
or
• the coordinates of two points on the line
The 𝑦𝑦-intercept and the 𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔𝑔 can both be found algebraically using only two coordinates.
3) Find the equation of the straight line formed by the following pairs of points, algebraically as has been done
in part a). Leave your answer as a simplified fraction if necessary.
a) (16,5) and (2,3) 1

Therefore, 𝑦𝑦 = 7 𝑥𝑥 + 𝑐𝑐
𝑚𝑚 = Substitute one point into this equation:
𝑥𝑥2 − 𝑥𝑥1 1
(𝑥𝑥1 , 𝑦𝑦1 ) = (16,5) 5 = × 16 + 𝑐𝑐
(𝑥𝑥2 , 𝑦𝑦2 ) = (2,3) 7
16
3−5 5= + 𝑐𝑐
𝑚𝑚 = 7
2 − 16 16 16 16
−2 5− = + 𝑐𝑐 −
= 7 7 7
−14 35 16 19
1 𝑐𝑐 = − =
= 7 7 7
7 Therefore,
16 19
7 7
1
= (𝑥𝑥 + 19)
7
(taking out common factor in last step)
b) (5,18) 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 (4,0) c) 2 1 1 2

𝑦𝑦2 − 𝑦𝑦1 � , − � 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 � , �
𝑚𝑚 = 3 2 5 5
𝑥𝑥2 − 𝑥𝑥1 𝑦𝑦2 − 𝑦𝑦1
𝑚𝑚 =
(𝑥𝑥1 , 𝑦𝑦1 ) = (5,18) 𝑥𝑥2 − 𝑥𝑥1
(𝑥𝑥2 , 𝑦𝑦2 ) = (4,0) 2 1
(𝑥𝑥1 , 𝑦𝑦1 ) = � , − �
0 − 18 3 2
𝑚𝑚 = 1 2
4−5 (𝑥𝑥2 , 𝑦𝑦2 ) = � , �
−18 5 5
= = 18 2 1
−1 − �− �
= 18 𝑚𝑚 = 5 2
1 2
−
5 3
−27
𝑦𝑦 = 18𝑥𝑥 + 𝑐𝑐 =
14
Substitute (4,0)into the above:
0 = 18 × 4 + 𝑐𝑐
0 − 72 = 72 + 𝑐𝑐 − 72
−72 = 𝑐𝑐
Therefore,
𝑦𝑦 = 18𝑥𝑥 − 72
= 18(𝑥𝑥 − 4)
−27
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑥𝑥 + 𝑐𝑐
14
2 1
Substitute �3 , − 2� into the above:
1 −27 2
− = × + 𝑐𝑐
2 14 3
1 −54
− = + 𝑐𝑐
2 42
−1 54 −54 54
+ = + + 𝑐𝑐
2 42 42 42
11
= 𝑐𝑐
14
Therefore,
−27 11
14 14
d) 1 3 7 5 e) (−5, −50) 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 (−15, −12)

� , � 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 � , � 𝑦𝑦2 − 𝑦𝑦1
2 4 8 4 𝑚𝑚 =
𝑦𝑦2 − 𝑦𝑦1 𝑥𝑥2 − 𝑥𝑥1
𝑚𝑚 =
𝑥𝑥2 − 𝑥𝑥1 (𝑥𝑥1 , 𝑦𝑦1 ) = (−5, −50)
1 3 (𝑥𝑥2 , 𝑦𝑦2 ) = (−15, −12)
(𝑥𝑥1 , 𝑦𝑦1 ) = � , �
2 4 −12 − −50
7 5 𝑚𝑚 =
(𝑥𝑥2 , 𝑦𝑦2 ) = ( , ) −15 − −5
8 4 38
5 3 =
− −10
𝑚𝑚 = 4 4 =−
19
7 1
− 5
8 2
2
19
=4 𝑦𝑦 = − 𝑥𝑥 + 𝑐𝑐
3 5
8 Substitute (−5, −50) into the above:
2 8 19
= × −50 = − × −5 + 𝑐𝑐
4 3 5
16 4 −50 = 19 + 𝑐𝑐
= =
12 3 −50 − 19 = 19 + 𝑐𝑐 − 19
4 −69 = 𝑐𝑐
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑥𝑥 + 𝑐𝑐
3 𝑐𝑐 = −69
1 3
Substitute �2 , 4� into the above:
19
3 4 1 Therefore, 𝑦𝑦 = − 𝑥𝑥 − 69
= × + 𝑐𝑐 5
4 3 2
3 4
= + 𝑐𝑐
4 6
3 4 4 4
− = + 𝑐𝑐 −
4 6 6 6
9 8
− = 𝑐𝑐
12 12
1
𝑐𝑐 =
12
Therefore,
4 1
3 12
1
= (16𝑥𝑥 + 1)
12
4) Find the equation of the straight line formed by the following pairs of points using algebra. Leave your
answer as a simplified fraction if necessary.
a) 11 3 b) (40, 2) 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 (−24, 5)

� , − � 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 (−4, 3) (𝑥𝑥1 , 𝑦𝑦1 ) = (40, 2)
10 10
11 3 (𝑥𝑥2 , 𝑦𝑦2 ) = (−24, 5)
(𝑥𝑥1 , 𝑦𝑦1 ) = � , − �
10 10 5−2
(𝑥𝑥2 , 𝑦𝑦2 ) = (−4, 3) 𝑚𝑚 =
−24 − 40
3 3
3 − �− 10� =−
𝑚𝑚 = 64
11
−4 − 10
11 3
=− 𝑦𝑦 = − 𝑥𝑥 + 𝑐𝑐
17 64
Substitute (40, 2) into the above:
11 3
𝑦𝑦 = −
𝑥𝑥 + 𝑐𝑐 2 = − × 40 + 𝑐𝑐
17 64
11 3 120
Substitute �10 , − 10� into the above: 2=− + 𝑐𝑐
64
3 11 11 120 120 120
− =− × + 𝑐𝑐 2+ =− + + 𝑐𝑐
10 17 10 64 64 64
3 121 121 121 31
− + =− + + 𝑐𝑐 = 𝑐𝑐
10 170 170 170 8
3 121 121 121
− + =− + + 𝑐𝑐
10 170 170 170
7 3 31
= 𝑐𝑐 Therefore, 𝑦𝑦 = − 𝑥𝑥 +
64 8
17
11 7
Therefore, 𝑦𝑦 = − 17 𝑥𝑥 + 17
c) (14, 12) 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 (15, 32) d) 5 14 5 64
(𝑥𝑥1 , 𝑦𝑦1 ) = (14, 12) � , � 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 � , �
3 3 9 8
(𝑥𝑥2 , 𝑦𝑦2 ) = (15, 32) 5 14
32 − 12 (𝑥𝑥1 , 𝑦𝑦1 ) = � , �
3 3
𝑚𝑚 = 5 64
15 − 14 (𝑥𝑥2 , 𝑦𝑦2 ) = � , �
20 9 8
= = 20 64 14
1 − 3
𝑚𝑚 = 8
𝑦𝑦 = 20𝑥𝑥 + 𝑐𝑐 5 5
Substitute (14, 12) into the above: 9−3
14
12 = 20 × 14 + 𝑐𝑐 8− 3
12 = 280 + 𝑐𝑐 =
5 5
12 − 280 = 280 − 280 + 𝑐𝑐 9−3
−268 = 𝑐𝑐 24 14
− 3
= 3
5 15
9− 9
Therefore, 𝑦𝑦 = 20𝑥𝑥 − 268 10
= 3
10
−
9
10 9
= ×−
3 10
= −3
𝑦𝑦 = −3𝑥𝑥 + 𝑐𝑐
5 64
Substitute� , � into the above:
9 8
5
8 = −3 × + 𝑐𝑐
9
15
8 = − + 𝑐𝑐
9
15 15 15
8+ = − + 𝑐𝑐 +
9 9 9
29
= 𝑐𝑐
3
29
𝑐𝑐 =
3
29
Therefore, 𝑦𝑦 = −3𝑥𝑥 + 3

Finding The Equation of A Line From Two Points

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Finding The Equation of A Line From Two Points

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Finding the Equation of a Line from Two Points

𝑦𝑦 − 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 = (0, −1)

Equation of a straight line : 𝑦𝑦 = 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 + 𝑐𝑐

2) Complete the blanks in the following :

• the gradient and 𝑦𝑦 −intercept (which give us 𝒎𝒎 and 𝒄𝒄)

a) (16,5) and (2,3) 1

𝑦𝑦 − 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 = (0, −1)

Equation of a straight line : 𝑦𝑦 = 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 + 𝑐𝑐

(𝑥𝑥1 , 𝑦𝑦1 ) = (−3,3) (𝑥𝑥1 , 𝑦𝑦1 ) = (−3,4)

(𝑥𝑥1 , 𝑦𝑦1 ) = (−6,6) (𝑥𝑥1 , 𝑦𝑦1 ) = (−4, −8)

• the gradient and 𝑦𝑦 −intercept (which give us 𝒎𝒎 and 𝒄𝒄)

a) (16,5) and (2,3) 1

b) (5,18) 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 (4,0) c) 2 1 1 2

d) 1 3 7 5 e) (−5, −50) 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 (−15, −12)

a) 11 3 b) (40, 2) 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 (−24, 5)

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