A line with a slop of 6 passes through the point (1,6). What is it's equation in slope intercept form?

Question

I know that I have to use this Y-mx=b and I know how to set it up but yet I'm still confused. 6=6x+1 

Answer 1

Hi Laura,

 

There are actually two ways to solve this. 

 

You can use y = mx + b (slope-intercept) or y - y₁ = m (x - x₁) --point-slope.

 

Using slope intercept you would start like this:

 

6 = 6(1) + b   (Substitute 6 for y, 1 for x, and 6 for m -- since the line passes through (1,6) x=1, y=6

b=0

 

Therefore the equation is: y = 6x + 0 => y = 6x

 

Using point-slope:

 

y - 6 = 6 (x - 1)

 

y - 6 = 6x - 6

 

y = 6x

 

Either way you get the same result--use whichever is easier for you. I usually use point-slope.

 

All of the above would have been a bit easier to see if the point had been (1, 5) for example. Try it for m=6 passing through (1,5).

 

5=(6)(1) + b

b= -1

 

So, y = 6x - 1