Linear Equations and

Inequalities in Two
Variables
The Rectangular Coordinate
System
Quadrants Abscissa

Origin Ordinate

axis

axis

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Distance Formula

▪ Let and represent any two points in a coordinate

plane.

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Example 1

▪ Find the distance between the points and .

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Midpoint of a Line Segment

▪ The midpoint of a line segment is a point that

divides the segment into two equal distances.
▪ The midpoint of a line segment with endpoints
and is

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Example 2

▪ Find the midpoint of the line joining the points

and .

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Slope of a Line

▪ The slope of a line is the ratio of the vertical change (rise)

compared to the horizontal change (run) as we move from
one point on a line to another point. Suppose that and are
two different points on a line.

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Example 3

▪ Determine the slope of the line joining the points

and .

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Graphs of Linear Equations
in Two Variables
Linear Equation in Two Variables

▪ A linear equation in two variables is an equation of the

form where and are constants and and are not both 0.
A graph is the set of all pairs of numbers that satisfies
the equation. This set of numbers is the set of solutions
of a linear equation.

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To graph an equation is to make a drawing that represents its
solutions. Linear equations can be graphed as follows.
1. Select a value for one coordinate and calculate the
corresponding value of the other coordinate. Form an
ordered pair.
2. Repeat step 1 to find at least one other ordered pair.
3. Plot the ordered pairs and draw a straight line passing
through the points. The line represents all solutions of the
equation.
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Example

▪ Sketch the graph of the linear equation .

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Definition of Intercepts

▪ The intercept of a graph is the coordinate of a point

where the graph crosses the axis.
▪ Theintercept of a graph is the coordinate of a point
where the graph crosses the axis.

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Example

▪ Find the and intercepts of the equation .

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Graphing Using Intercepts

▪ To graph a linear equation using intercepts, just

plot the and intercepts in the rectangular
coordinate plane. Then connect the points with a
straight line.

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Example

▪ Sketch the graph of the equation using the

intercepts.

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Equations of Lines
▪ Any equation of the form , where and are real
numbers and and are not both 0, is linear. The
equation is said to be in standard form.

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Example

▪ Graph the equation .

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Equation of a Vertical Line

▪ A vertical line is given by an equation of the form

where is the -intercept.

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Point – Slope Form of an Equation of a Line

▪ The point-slope form of an equation of a line is

where is the slope and the line passes through the

point .

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Example

▪ Find the equation of a line passing through the points and .

Write the answer in standard form.

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Example

▪ Find the equation of a horizontal line passing

through the point

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Equation of a Horizontal Line

▪ A horizontal line is given by an equation of the

form

where is the -intercept.

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Example

▪ Find the equation of the line passing through

and . Write the answer in standard form.

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General Form of an Equation of a Line

where and are real numbers and and are not both ,
and is positive.

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Slope-Intercept Form of a Linear Equation

▪ The slope-intercept form of an equation of a line

is

where is the slope and is the -intercept.

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Example

▪ Find the equation of the line with slope equal to 3 and

passing through the point . Express the answer in general
form.

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Parallel Lines and
Perpendicular Lines
Parallel Lines

Two distinct nonvertical lines with slopes and are

parallel if and only if
.

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Example

▪ Show that the lines and are parallel.

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Example

▪ Find an equation of a line in standard form passing through

the point and parallel to the line with an equation .

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Perpendicular Lines

▪ Two distinct nonvertical lines with slopes and

are perpendicular if and only if
or

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Example

▪ Find an equation of a line in standard form passing

through the point and perpendicular to the line with an
equation

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Linear Inequalities in Two
Variables
▪ Linear inequalities in two variables are of the
form or where and are real numbers.
▪ You may replace and with and .

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To graph linear inequalities, use the following steps.

Step 1 Graph the corresponding equality. Use a solid line if equality is included in
the original statement and a dashed line if equality is not included.
Step 2 Choose a test point not on the line and substitute its coordinates into the
inequality. The origin is a convenient point to use if it is not on the line.
Step 3 The graph of the original inequality is
a) the half plane that contains the test point if the inequality is satisfied by that point,
or,
b) the half plane that does not contain the test point if the inequality is
not satisfied by the point.
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Example

▪ Graph

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Example

▪ Graph

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