Question

Write the equation of the line with a slope of -1/3 and passing through the point (6,-4)

Answer 1

If you have a line of form y=mx+b where m is the slope and b is the y intercept you can put the slop in the equation right away and use the point given to solve for b. Your starting equation would look like y=(-1/3)x+b and then you plug in (6,-4) so you'd have -4=(-1/3)(6)+b and you would solve that for b.

Answer 2

Would you have to multiply -1/3 by 6?

Answer 3

yep and then divide the -4 by your answer for that. that'll give you the y intercept

Answer 4

How do you multiply a fraction by a whole number?

Answer 5

would it be -2

Answer 6

(-1/3)(6) is the same as multiplying by -1 then dividing by 3, so yes that would give you -2. Dividing -4 by -2 would then give you your b = 2. So your final equation would be y=(-1/3)x+2