EQUATIONS OF A LINE

By: Asst. Prof. Xandro Alexi A. Nieto

University of Santo Tomas

Review of Terms
Before proceeding to our lesson, please recall the
following terms:

Slope (m) rise / run from any point in the line.

x-intercept (a) point of the x-axis where the line pass through.
y-intercept (b) point of the y-axis where the line pass through.

To illustrate,

run = 2
rise = 1

x-int (a)
-2

y-int (b)
1

FORMS OF A LINE
The three forms of a line that we are going to
discuss in this presentation are, as follows:
slope-intercept form

y mx b

point slope form

y y1 m x x1

two-point form

y 2 y1
x x1
y y1
x2 x1

x y
Some Analytic Geometry books would include the intercept form, a b 1 .

But since equations in those forms may be derived using the two-point
form, it wont be discussed anymore in this presentation.

SLOPE-INTERCEPT FORM

SLOPE-INTERCEPT FORM
The slope-intercept form is used when the given
are slope (m) and y-intercept (b) of the line.
Do not use the slope-intercept form if the given are slope (m) and x-intercept (a).

Any equation in standard form, is already

in slope-intercept form.

y mx b
slope

y-intercept

SLOPE-INTERCEPT FORM
EXAMPLES:

4
Find the equation of the line with slope of
3

and y-intercept of 3.

To graph the given, m =

4
3

and b = - 3.

To find the equation of the line,

use y m x b .
Since m =
y

4
and b = -3, then
3

4
x 3
3

, then express in general form

4x 9
3
3y 4x 9
y

4x 3y 9 0

is the equation of the line.

run = 3

rise = 4

y-int = -3

SLOPE-INTERCEPT FORM
EXAMPLES:
Find the equation of the line with slope of
1
and y-intercept of
.
2

To graph the given, m = 2 and b = 1 .

3
2
To find the equation of the line,
use y m x b .
y-int = 1/2

2
Since m = and b = 1 , then
3
2

2
1
y x
3
2

, then express in general form

4 x 3
6
6 y 4 x 3
y

4x 6 y 3 0

is the equation of the line.

rise = -2

run = 3

2
3

SLOPE-INTERCEPT FORM
TRY THIS!
Find the equation of the line with slope of
2
and y-intercept of
.
3
ANSWER: 3x + 12y - 8 = 0

1
4

POINT-SLOPE FORM

POINT-SLOPE FORM
The point-slope form is used when the given are slope
(m) and a point passing through the line (x1,y1).
Suppose you want to find the slope of the line, in which theres only
one given point (x1,y1).
Let (x,y) be the unknown point and (x1,y1) be the given point.

y 2 y1
By definition of slope m
,
x2 x1

y y1
and since the (x,y) is an unknown point, then m
.
x x1
m x x1 y y1

By cross-multiplication,

Thus, the formula were going to use is

y y1 m x x.1

where m is the given slope and (x1,y1) is the given point.

POINT-SLOPE FORM
EXAMPLES:
Find the equation of the line with slope of - 3 and passing
through (1, 2).
To graph the given, note that the slope is -3
or -3/1. Thus, giving a rise of -3 and run of 1.

(1,2)

To find the equation, it is given that

rise = - 3

m = - 3 and (x1,y1)=(1, 2).

Substitute the given to

y y1 m x x1

run = 1

y 2 3 x 1
y 2 3 x 3
3x y 5 0

is the equation of the line.

POINT-SLOPE FORM
EXAMPLES:
2
Find the equation of the line with slope of
and passing
3
through (-3, 1).
run = 3

To find the equation, it is given that

2
m = and (x1,y1)=(-3,1).
3

Substitute the given to

y y1 m x x1

rise = 2

(-3,1)

2
x (3)
3
2
y 1 x 3
3
3 y 1 2 x 3
3y 3 2x 6
y 1

2x 3y 9 0

is the equation of the line.

POINT-SLOPE FORM
TRY THIS!
Find the equation of the line with slope of
through (-3, -2).

ANSWER:

x + 4y + 11 = 0

1
4

and passing

TWO-POINT FORM

TWO-POINT FORM
The two-point form is used when the given are two
points ((x1,y1) & (x2,y2)) passing through the line.
Weve learned in the point-slope form that

y y1 m x x1

and from the definition of slope that m

Thus, by making m as

y 2 y1
x2 x1

y 2 y1
.
x2 x1

, in the point-slope form, we have

y 2 y1
y y1
x x1
x2 x1
where ((x1,y1) & (x2,y2)) are the two points passing through the line.

TWO-POINT FORM
EXAMPLES:
Find the equation of the line passing through (1,2) and (4,3).
To graph, simply plot the two points then
connect by drawing a line.
To find the equation of the line,
substitute (1,2) and (4,3) to (x1,y1)
and (x2,y2)) respectively.
y y1
y y1 2
x x1
x2 x1
3 2
y2
x 1
4 1
3y 6 x 1
1
y 2 x 1
x 3y 5 0
3
3 y 2 1 x 1

(4,3)
(1,2)

is the equation of the line.

TWO-POINT FORM
EXAMPLES:

1
4

1
2

Find the equation of the line passing through ,2 and 3, .

y y1

y 2 y1
x x1
x2 x1

1
2
1
2
x
y 2
1
4
3
4

(3,-0.5)

3
1

y2 2 x
13
4
4

6
1
x

13
4
1

13 y 2 6 x
4

3
13 y 26 6 x
2
y2

(-0.25,-2)

6 x 13 y

49
0
2

12 x 26 y 49 0

is the equation of the line.

TWO-POINT FORM
TRY THIS!

1
4

Find the equation of the line passing through 3,

ANSWER: 9x + 16y + 23 = 0

and (1,-2).

REVIEW
So far, we have discussed the three forms
of equations and we derived equations by
direct substitution of the given.
slope-intercept form

y mx b

point slope form

y y1 m x x1

two-point form

y 2 y1
x x1
y y1
x2 x1

WHAT IFs?
What if the given are the slope and the xintercept of the line?
What if the given are a point passing through
the line and x or y-intercept?
What if the given are the lines x and

y-intercepts?
Lets answer these questions one by one.

What if the given are the slope and the

x-intercept of the line?
Do not use the slope-intercept form
because the slope-intercept form is used if
the given are the slope and the y-intercept
(NOT THE X-INTERCEPT!).

What if the given are the slope and the

x-intercept of the line?
Instead, recall that any x-intercept ( a) may
be expressed as ordered pair (a,0). Thus,
you may use point-slope form.

What if the given are the slope and the

x-intercept of the line?
EXAMPLE:
Find the equation of the line with slope of 3 and has an x-intercept of 2.
Since the x-intercept is 2, then its
ordered pair is (2,0). Considering the
slope of 3, then we have to use the
point-slope form.

y y1 m x x1
y 0 3 x 2
y 3x 6

3 x y 6 0 is the equation of the line.

run = 1

rise = 3
x-intercept = 2

What if the given are a point passing

through the line and x or y-intercept?
Recall that any x-intercept (a) may be expressed in
ordered pair (a,0).
Likewise, any y-intercept (b) may be expressed in
ordered pair (0,b).

Thus, the two-point form

may be used in cases like this.

What if the given are a point passing

through the line and x or y-intercept?
EXAMPLE:
Find the equation of the line passing through (3,-1) and having a
y-intercept of -2.
Since the y-intercept is -2, then its
ordered pair is (0,-2). Considering the
other given, (3,-1), then we can make
use of the two-point form.
y y1

y2 y1
x x1
x2 x1

y 2

1 2
x 0
30

1
x
3
3 y 2 x
3y 6 x
x 3y 6 0
y2

is the equation of the line.

(3,-1)
Y-intercept = - 2

What if the given are the lines x and

y-intercepts?
Again, recall that any x-intercept (a) may be
expressed in ordered pair (a,0).

Likewise, any y-intercept (b) may be expressed

in ordered pair (0,b).

Thus, the two-point form

may be used in cases like this.

What if the given are the lines x and

y-intercepts?
EXAMPLE:
Find the equation of the line having an x-intercept
of 3 and a y-intercept of 2?
Since the x-intercept is 3, then its ordered pair is
(3,0). Likewise, since the y-intercept is 2, then its
ordered pair is (0,2). Thus, we can now make use of
the two-point form.

y y1
y0

y2 y1
x x1
x2 x1

20
x 3
03

2
x 3
3
3y 2x 6
2x 3y 6 0
y

is the equation of the line.

y-intercept = 2

x-intercept = 3

Were done with the topic.

You may now answer the 10point online assignment,
linear equations in two variables.