Find the equation of the line in standard form that passes through the following points (0,-11) and (5,-11). Simplify your answer.

Answer 1

Chase,

To find the equation of a line, we need the slope and the y-intercept.

We can easily find slope, given two points on the line. Remember the phrase “rise over run”- it will remind you that slope measures how far we move upwards on the graph (rise) compared to how far we move horizontally across (run).

To find rise over run, you find the difference between y-values (this difference is your rise) and divide that by the difference in x-values (this difference is your run). We do this in the form y1 - y2/x1 - x2.

When given two points, you can choose which point is your (x1,y1) and which is your (x2,y2). I choose (0, -11) to be my (x1,y1).

-11 - -11/0 - 5 = 0/-5 = 0.

When there is no difference between the y values, but there is difference between the x values, the slope is 0. 0 slope is a rare case in algebra homework, but it just means you have a flat line. :)

You would normally have to solve for the y-intercept but here it is given to us: (0,-11).

So your equation is:

y = mx + b

y = 0x - 11.

y = -11

Again, a case you will rarely see in algebra homework, but an interesting one.

Hope this helps! :)