GCSE: Straight Line Equations

Dr J Frost (jfrost@tiffin.kingston.sch.uk)
www.drfrostmaths.com

Last modified: 30th August 2015

GCSE specification:
 Understand that an equation of the form y = mx + c corresponds to a straight line graph
 Plot straight line graphs from their equations
 Plot and draw a graph of an equation in the form y = mx + c
 Find the gradient of a straight line graph
 Find the gradient of a straight line graph from its equation
 Understand that a graph of an equation in the form y = mx + c has gradient of m and a y intercept
of c (ie. crosses the y axis at c)
 Understand how the gradient of a real life graph relates to the relationship between the two
variables
 Understand how the gradients of parallel lines are related
 Understand how the gradients of perpendicular lines are related
 Understand that if the gradient of a graph in the form y = mx + c is m, then the gradient of a line
perpendicular to it will be -1/m
 Generate equations of a line parallel or perpendicular to a straight line graph
 y

What is the equation of 4

this line?
And more importantly, 3

why is it that?
2

x -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

-1

-2

The line -3represents □ “Understand that

𝑥=2
? all points which
satisfies -4the
an equation
corresponds to a
line graph.”
equation.
 y
Starter 4

A
3 D
F
C
2

B
1

G E
x -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

-1

H
-2

-3

-4 What is the equation of

each line?
Equation of a line
 Understand that an equation of the form corresponds to a
straight line graph

 The equation of a straight line is

gradient y-intercept
Gradient using two points

! Given two points on a line, the gradient is:

( 1 , 4 ) (3 , 10 ) 𝑚=3
?

( 5 , 7 ) ( 8 , 1) 𝑚=−
? 2

( 2 , 2 ) (− 1 , 10) 𝑚=−? 8
3
Gradient from an Equation
 Find the gradient of a straight line graph from its equation.

Putting in form : Putting in form :

Gradient is -2
? Gradient is ?
Test Your Understanding
Find the gradient of the line with equation .

𝟐𝒚=𝒙−𝟏 ?
Exercise 1
Determine the gradient of the lines
1
which go through the following d ?
points. A line goes through the points
e ?
and . Line has the equation .
a ? f ?
Which has the greater gradient:
b ?
Determine the gradient of the lines g So has greater gradient.?
c the following equations: ?
with
d ? 3
e ?
f ?
g ?
h
? ?
2

a ?
b ?
c
?
 y
Drawing Straight Lines 4

Sketch the line with equation:

3

x -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

-1

-2

Bro Tip: To sketch a line, just work out -3 □ “Plot and draw a
any two points on the line. Then join up. graph of an
Using for one point and for the other equation in the
-4
makes things easy. form y = mx + c”
 y
Test Your Understanding 4
Sketch the line with equation:
3

x -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

-1

-2

-3 □ “Plot and draw a

graph of an
equation in the
-4
form y = mx + c”
Finding intersection with the axis
𝑦
When a line crosses the -axis:
?
When a line crosses the -axis:

𝑥 ?

The point where the line crosses the:

Equation -axis -axis

? ?

? ?

? ?
Equation given a gradient and point
The gradient of a line is 3. It goes through the point (4, 10). What
is the equation of the line?

?
Start with (where is to be determined)
Substituting:
Therefore

The gradient of a line is -2. It goes through the point (5, 10). What
is the equation of the line?

𝒚 =−𝟐 𝒙+𝟐𝟎 ?
Test Your Understanding
1 Determine the equation of the line which has gradient 5 and goes through
the point .
?
2 Determine the equation of the line which has gradient and goes through the
point .
?
Find the equation of the line which is parallel to and goes through the point
3

?
Equation given two points
A straight line goes through the points (3, 6) and (5, 12). Determine
the full equation of the line.

Gradient: 3 ?
(5,12)
Equation: ?
(3,6)

A straight line goes through the points (5, -2) and (1, 0). Determine
the full equation of the line.
(5, -2)
Gradient: -0.5 ?
(1,0)
Equation: ?
Exercise 2
1 Determine the points where the 5 Determine the equation of the line parallel
following lines cross the and axis. to and goes through the point .

? ?
Determine the equation of the line parallel
?
Using suitable axis, draw the line with 6 to and goes through the point .
equation .
? Determine the equation of the lines which
?
go through the following pairs of points:
2
7
A line has gradient 8𝑦and goes
through the point5 . Determine its
equation. ? ?
5 𝑥 ?
A line has gradient and goes
2through ?
3 the point . Determine its equation. ?
?
?
4

?
 y

?
m = 1/2 3 ?
m = -1/3

m=3?
x -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

-1

m = -2?
-2

Find the gradients of

-3 each pair of
perpendicular lines.
-4 What do you notice?
Perpendicular Lines
! If two lines are perpendicular, then the gradient of one is the
negative reciprocal of the other.

Or:

Gradient Gradient of Perpendicular Line

?
-4 ?
?
?
?
?
Example Problems
Q1 A line is goes through the point (9,10) and is perpendicular to another line with
equation . What is the equation of the line?

?
A line goes through the points and . A second line is perpendicular to and
Q2 passes through point B. Where does cross the x-axis?

?
Are the following lines parallel, perpendicular, or neither?
Q3

Neither. Gradients are and . But , not -1, so not perpendicular.

?
Exercise 3
1 A line goes through the indicated point and is 4
perpendicular to another line . Determine the 𝑙

+5
equation of in each case.

3𝑥
?

𝑦=
𝑥
? through B,
Find the equation of the line which passes Determine the equation of the line .
and is perpendicular to the line passing through both
A and B. ? ?
Line has the equation . Line goes through?the points 𝑦
and . Are the lines parallel, perpendicular, or neither? 5
? 𝑦=
so perpendicular.
−
2 2𝑥 𝑙
+4

𝑥
?
Determine the equation of the line .
3 Known point on :

So equation of : ?
?
GCSE specification:
 Understand that an equation of the form y = mx + c corresponds to a straight line graph
 Plot straight line graphs from their equations
 Plot and draw a graph of an equation in the form y = mx + c
 Find the gradient of a straight line graph
 Find the gradient of a straight line graph from its equation
 Understand that a graph of an equation in the form y = mx + c has gradient of m and a y intercept
of c (ie. crosses the y axis at c)
 Understand how the gradient of a real life graph relates to the relationship between the two
variables
 Understand how the gradients of parallel lines are related
 Understand how the gradients of perpendicular lines are related
 Understand that if the gradient of a graph in the form y = mx + c is m, then the gradient of a line
perpendicular to it will be -1/m
 Generate equations of a line parallel or perpendicular to a straight line graph
Two last things…
Midpoint of two points Distance between two points

(7 ,9)
?5
( 5 , 9)
3
(𝟒 ,𝟕.𝟓)
?
(3 ,6)
(3 ,6) 4
Just find the average of and the
Find change and change to
average of .
form right-angled triangle.
Then use Pythagoras.
Past Exam Questions
See GCSEPastPaper_Solutions.pptx
GCSERevision_StraightLineEquations.docx