The Equation of a Straight Line

Learning Intention Success Criteria

I can use the gradient and y-
To find the equation of a straight
intercept to find the equation for a
line.
straight line.

Do Now
Find two points/coordinates that lie on the line given by
this equation:

= 3 + 4
Finding points on a line
TO find a point on a line we can simply look at the
resulting graph, OR we can substitute the x value
to find the y, or we can use the y value to find the x
value.
Finding points on a line
Given an equation for the linear graph, you can find points that lie on it by
substituting x to find your y-values or substituting y-values to find your x-values.
= 2 3 For x = 2 For y = 2

(5/2,2) =22 3 2 = 2 3
(2,1)
=43 2 + 3 = 2 3 + 3
=1 5 = 2
Coordinate (2,1) 5
=
2
Coordinate (5/2, 2)
Plotting a graph = 4 + 1

To plot a graph we need a (1,5)

minimum of two points from which
we can draw a straight line that
passes through both of those (0,1)
points.
= 4 + 1
=0 =1
=40+1 =41+1
=1 =5
(0,1) (1,5)
 The equation of a line
Linear equations can be written in the form
= +

(how much y increases when x
increases)
(value of y when x=0)
&
 The equation of a line
If a line is not written in this form it must be
rearranged to be in this form.
= +

(how much y increases when x
increases)
(value of y when x=0)
&
 Gradient
The gradient of a line is the slope of a line.
How steep or how gradual the slope is.
We calculate the gradient of a
linear graph by finding a
relationship between its Rise and
Run (how high it goes versus how
far it goes).

 Gradient using two points
We can use two coordinates to find the
gradient of a graph.
Label one coordinate
(x1,y1), and the other,
coordinate (x2,y2).
We calculate the gradient
using this equation:

Rise= y2 - y1
Run x2 - x1
 Gradient using two points
Example
Rise y2 - y1
=
Run x2 - x1
(0,3)
(x1, y1) = ( 0,3)
(x2, y2) = ( -6,0) (-6,0)

03 3 1
= = =
6 0 6 2
 Y-intercept
Our y-intercept is the
coordinate for when
the line crosses the y-
axis
(0,3)

y-intercept is: (0,3)

= = 0
(-6,0)
=3
 Equation of the line
Example
03 3 1
= = =
6 0 6 2
=3
(0,3)
= +

So our equation is thus: (0,1)

1
= +3
2
Example:
= 4 3

Gradient = 4

To find y-intercept, we need to

find when x=0.
=403
= 3

y-intercept is: (0,-3)

Example:
= 2 + 2
= + c

= 2

= 0

= 2 0 + 2
=2
= 2
You Do:
Find the gradient and
y-intercept of the line.

Then write the

corresponding linear
equation.

= 4 3
Exercise 7.2 pg 216 Exercise 7.3 pg 223
Mainstream: 1, 2ac, 3bd, 4, Mainstream: 1aei, 2behk,
5dfh, 6, 7 3efil, 4efil, 5, adgj, 6, 7,
8bc
Extension: 8-14 all
Extension: 9-19 all
Leave Pass
Plot the following equation by
finding 2 points that lie on this
graph.