How do you find the equation of a line passing through (4, 1) with the slope m = -1/2?

Question

28803 views around the world

You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License

Answer 1 · 2018-04-29T14:03:22

See below:

Point #(x_1, y_1)=(4, 1)#

Slope (#m#) #=-1/2#

Let the equation of the line be

#y-y_1=m(x-x_1)#

#y-1=-1/2(x-4)#

#y-1=-1/2x+2#

#x/2+y=3#

which is the required equation of the line.

Answer 2 · 2018-04-29T14:08:55

#y=-1/2x+3#

Slope-intercept form of a line: #y=mx+b#, with #m# as the slope and #b# as the y-intercept

We know that the slope is #-1/2#, so we can put that in for #m#:

#y=-1/2x+b rarr# To find the y-intercept, plug in the point #(4, 1)# and solve

#1=-1/2*4+b#

#1=-2+b#

#b=3#

The equation in slope-intercept form is #y=-1/2x+3#