How do you write the equation of the line that passes through the points P(8, -1), Q(0, -7)?

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Answer 1 · 2015-04-03T17:05:46

The answer is: $y = \frac{6}{8} x - 7$ $y = 6/8x-7$

First, we need to find the slope of the line. Slope can be found as:

$m = \frac{y_{1} - y_{2}}{x_{1} - x_{2}}$ $m = (y_1 - y_2)/(x_1-x_2)$

$m = \frac{- 1 - (- 7)}{8 - 0} = \frac{6}{8}$ $m = (-1-(-7))/(8-0) = 6/8$

So our incomplete line equation is:

$y = \frac{6}{8} x + n$ $y = 6/8x+n$

Lets plug one the points to the equation to find the value of $n$ $n$

I will plug $P$ $P$

$- 1 = \frac{6}{8} \cdot 8 + n$ $-1 = 6/8*8 + n$

$- 1 = 6 + n$ $-1 = 6+n$

$n = - 7$ $n=-7$

So the line equation is:

$y = \frac{6}{8} x - 7$ $y = 6/8x-7$