How do you write an equation with slope of 5/3 and contains the point (-6, -2)?

1 Answer
Sep 24, 2015

#y = 5/3x+8#

Explanation:

To do this, we use a linear equation called point slope form. This is basically another way of writing a linear equation, like #y = mx+b#. Point slope form is as follows: #y-y_1 = m(x-x_1)#. I won't go into the specifics of what this equation is or how it's derived, but I encourage you to do so. In this equation, #y_1# and #x_1# are points on the line #y# and #m# is the slope.

Here, we already have the elements: points on the line, and the slope. To solve, we just substitute these values into the equation and simplify:
#y-(-2) = (5/3)(x-(-6))#; #x_1 = -6#, #y_1 = -2#, #m = 5/3#
#y+2 = 5/3(x+6)#
#y+2 = 5/3x+10#
#y = 5/3x+10-2#
#y = 5/3x+8#
And there you have it - the equation of the line with slope 5/3 and passing through the point (-6,-2).