Question

Indicate in standard form the equation of the line through the given points.

P(0, -4), Q(5, 1)

Answer 1

the standard equation of a line is
ax+by=c

Answer 2

now there are a number of ways to do this, but I myself am more accustomed to using slope intercept, so I usually form an equation in slope intercept and convert it to another form.

Answer 3

recall, in slope intercept form, that you have an equation y=mx+b, where b is the y-intercept of the equation that lies on (0,b). But note that you have a point P(0,-4).
What does that tell you about the y-intercept @LeahM ?

Answer 4

I'm sorry but I don't get how you're getting the answer from that way. I have notes that are supposed to help me with the process in a certain way but they aren't at all helpful.

Answer 5

@LeahM - there are a multitude of ways to get the standard form of a line. The basic idea with 2 variable line equations like this is that if you get the equation in ANY form, point slope, slope intercept, or just some bogus unsimplified form, you can convert it into standard form (or any other form). That being said, I am taking this approach:

Find the slope intercept form for the equation. (y=mx+b)
Convert to standard (ax+by=c)

Does this make sense?

Answer 6

The reason I am choosing to use slope-intercept is because it is typically taught as standard curricular before other forms, and that this these two points offer us an extremely easy way to get slope-intercept form.

Answer 7

Not to me it doesn't make sense. I am awful at Geometry.

Answer 8

okay. What part of the approach does not make sense to you? I will try my hardest to explain.

Answer 9

I'm going to ask my sister to help me. It's so much more difficult having someone explain something to me about a subject I don't at all understand.

Answer 10

Unfortunately, that's true for most subjects. After all, if we understood the subject, we wouldn't need someone to explain it to us.

Answer 11

I just need to pass high school. Not understanding theses apparently basic things is going to make things very hard.

Answer 12

I can help - there are also online resources I know that you might find helpful. let me know if you decide to come back...

Answer 13

My sister helped me a little bit. At least for the next few problems. With minimal yelling surprisingly too.