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Coordinate Geometry - Equations of Linear Graphs

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9 views7 pages

Coordinate Geometry - Equations of Linear Graphs

Uploaded by

itkingorg
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Coordinate Geometry – Equations of Linear

Graphs
Equations of Linear Graphs. Understanding how to interpret and find the equation of a straight
line is fundamental in mathematics. This topic is not only crucial for exams but also widely
applicable in real-world problems like economics, physics, and engineering.

The General Form of the Equation of a Straight Line


The equation of a straight line is most commonly written in the slope-intercept form:

Where:

● m is the gradient (or slope) of the line, representing the steepness of the line.
● c is the y-intercept, which is the point where the line crosses the y-axis (i.e., when x=0).

Let’s break this down:

● Gradient (m):

The gradient of a line is the change in y divided by the change in x. It is often referred to
as "rise over run."

Formula:

Where (x1,y1 and (x2,y2) are two distinct points on the line.

A positive gradient means the line is increasing (going up), while a negative gradient
means the line is decreasing (going down).

● Y-Intercept (c):
○ The y-intercept is the value of y when x=0. It gives the point where the line cuts
the y-axis.
○ For example, if the equation is y=2x+3y, the y-intercept is 3, meaning the line
crosses the y-axis at y=3.

2. Finding the Equation of a Line


a) Given the Gradient and the Y-intercept:

If you know the gradient m and the y-intercept c, you can directly substitute them into the
formula y=mx+c.

Example 1: Find the equation of a line with gradient m = 4 and y-intercept c = −2.

Solution:

y=4x−2

b) Using Two Points:

If you are given two points on the line, you can:

1. Calculate the gradient m using the formula. Substitute one of the points and the value of
m into the equation y=mx+c to solve for the y-intercept c.

Example 2: Find the equation of the line passing through the points A(1,2) and B(3,6).

Step 1: Calculate the gradient.

Step 2: Use the point A(1,2 to find the y-intercept.

Thus, the equation of the line is:

c) Parallel and Perpendicular Lines:

● Parallel lines have the same gradient. If two lines are parallel, their equations will have
the same m value.
● Perpendicular lines have gradients that are negative reciprocals of each other. If the
gradient of one line is mmm, the gradient of the line perpendicular to it is

3. Interpreting the Equation of a Line


Understanding the real-world meaning of the gradient and y-intercept can be helpful:

● The gradient can represent rates of change, such as speed in physics (distance vs. time
graphs).
● The y-intercept might represent a starting value in real-life scenarios (e.g., an initial cost
or quantity).

Practice Exercises
Let’s now work through some practice questions from past O-Level papers. Try these on your
own, and we’ll go through the solutions together.
Solutions

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