Writing Linear Equations

Front

What is a linear equation?

Back

A linear equation is an equation that makes a straight line when graphed. It can be written in the form y = mx + b, where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept.

Front

What does the slope (m) represent in a linear equation?

Back

The slope (m) represents the rate of change of y with respect to x. It indicates how steep the line is and the direction it goes (positive slope goes up, negative slope goes down).

Front

What is the y-intercept (b) in a linear equation?

Back

The y-intercept (b) is the point where the line crosses the y-axis. It represents the value of y when x is 0.

Front

How do you find the slope between two points (x1, y1) and (x2, y2)?

Back

The slope (m) can be calculated using the formula m = (y2 - y1) / (x2 - x1).

Front

What is the equation of a horizontal line?

Back

The equation of a horizontal line is of the form y = b, where b is a constant.

Front

What is the equation of a vertical line?

Back

The equation of a vertical line is of the form x = a, where a is a constant.

Front

How do you convert the equation from standard form to slope-intercept form?

Back

To convert from standard form Ax + By = C to slope-intercept form y = mx + b, solve for y.

Front

What does it mean for two lines to be parallel?

Back

Two lines are parallel if they have the same slope but different y-intercepts.

Front

What does it mean for two lines to be perpendicular?

Back

Two lines are perpendicular if the product of their slopes is -1 (i.e., the slopes are negative reciprocals of each other).

Front

How can you determine if a point (x, y) lies on a line given by the equation y = mx + b?

Back

Substitute the x-value into the equation to find the corresponding y-value. If the calculated y-value matches the given y, the point lies on the line.