Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Question from class: How do I make an equation from a line?

Way back in October we wrote equations in slope-intercept form or equations that look like y=mx+b where m and b are numbers. The number we put in place of m was the slope and b was the y-intercept.

So if we had this line:



We find the equation by finding the y-intercept or where the line crosses the y-axis and the slope. My line crosses at (0,3). Remember that the x value for the y-intercept will always be zero so we usually just say that the y-intercept is 3. So b=3



Then we find the slope. You have two options here, both start with choosing 2 points that are easy to find the coordinates of, meaning that the line crosses a point where the grid lines also cross. I chose (-1,0) and (2,9) because I liked them. There's no magic to the points I picked, any two would work.


Method 1: Pictures
In this method I am going to draw my rise and run between my points. The rise is blue, the run is 3. I count them out and set up my ratio of rise to run.


Method 2: Formula



Either way our slope is 3 so m=3. The equation is y=3x+3


I need it in different words or a few more examples.


Purple Math
Discovery Ed This link will find them for you, please use it wisely. An answer now isn't as valuable as one on the test. If you just use this to get the answer, you won't know what to do on the test.
Kahn Academy
Regents

13 comments:

  1. How do you know if you rotated the shape right if the point of rotation is outside of the shape?

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    Replies
    1. That is hard. I usually rotate the shape the same number of degrees on the vertex that is nearest to the outside point then see if the images are oriented the same way. Then I make sure that my shape is the same distance from the point I rotated around as the original. If both of those things are correct then my rotation is too.

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    2. oooh okay thanks!

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    3. Say your equation is y=x-9, and you go up/left. With any equation y=x-#, if it has a minus will you always move the x up/left?

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    4. It you started with y=x and translated you line to y=x-9, then you translated it down or right. Try graphing them both, the second one is lower because it has a lower y-intercept.

      This pattern is true for all functions with a positive slope. If the function has a negative slope then down and left go together.

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    5. So, it wont always be up/left or down/right correct?

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    6. Correct, that is only the pattern for functions with positive slopes.

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  2. Do we measure the triangles in inches or centimeters

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  3. Are you still checking 8.3 and 8.4 tomorrow? I didn't get mine until yesterday and I'm not completely finished, but I'm trying to complete it! If you still need to check it then I understand.

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    Replies
    1. That wasn't your fault so you can have until Monday. I may postpone checking everyone's since I expected for you to get class time today but we had that test.

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