Question

Will MEDAL to whom ever can help.

Answer 1

I think it is b. but I need advice on how to figure it out.

Answer 2

Wait no, I meant c.!

Answer 3

Hailey: Please dispense with the "Will MEDAL" part. Many helpers here on OpenStudy are motivated by more altruistic motives than gaining medals.

Regarding the problem you've posted, please start with y=mx+b and go thru the actual algebra of solving this for the slope, m. I'd like to see your thought process.

Answer 4

y=mx+b. How might we isolate the mx term?

Answer 5

Okay, sorry, in past experience, people well only look at your problem if you say, "Will MEADL!" sorry about that I will stop.
Okay so, y=mx+b then to find m, you would have to find the points. You would divide x from either side of the equation, making the equation, y/x=m+b but since you are finding m, you have to subtract b from either side, so it would be y/x-b=m Is that correct?

Answer 6

So the answer is C.?

Answer 7

Solving y=mx+b for m is an algebraic process. Uncertain what you meant by "find the points." All we're doing is re-arranging the given equation.. Dividing by x up front will work if done in the right order, but I'd suggest it'd be slightly easier to isolate the mx term first.

Answer 8

y=mx+b. Isolate mx by subtracting b from both sides.

Answer 9

y=mx+b
-b = -b
----------
?

Answer 10

Hailey?

Answer 11

Sorry, internet issues.
y-b=mx

Answer 12

Good. What's the next (and last) step towards isolating m?

Answer 13

Dividing either side of the equation by x. So,
x/y-b=m ? as in C.?
Or would it be y/x-b=m?
Or does that part even matter?

Answer 14

We'd have y-b=mx. Demonstrating what you are doing in dividing the left side by x requires that you enclose y-b in parentheses. Would you mind doing that, please?

y-b=mx Caution: dividing this by x without the presence of parentheses can lead to errors.

(y-b)=mx Divide this by x.

Answer 15

Yes, the parentheses matter a lot.

Answer 16

So, it is x/(y-b)=m? In that case would it be B.?

Answer 17

Remember, Hailey, you are dividing (y-b) by x. What you have typed out does not indicate that. Mind trying again?

Answer 18

(y-b) stays on top of the fraction you will be finding.

Answer 19

Okay, so idk how to use the equation thing but I would have (y-b) on top as if it were a fraction and then x on the bottom.
so like
(y-b)
over
x =m

Answer 20

"solve for m" means "isolating m" among other things.

If you have (y-b) = mx and want to solve for m, you MUST have m alone on one side of your equation.

(y-b) divided by x is written as (y-b)/x, with the parentheses mandatory.

What would be on the right side of this equation?

Answer 21

Actually, Hailey, you're on the right track! It's just that your (y-b)
over
x =m was a bit hard to read until I saw what you were doing.

You meant
\[\frac{ (y-b) }{ x }=m\]

Answer 22

Or, equivalently,
\[m=\frac{ (y-b) }{ x}\]

Answer 23

Yes that is exactly what I meant, I just have no idea how to do that with the equation creator. I understand this now! Thank you.

Answer 24

So, which of the 4 possible answers is the correct one?
You see, writing out and sharing your work is quite important.

Answer 25

My great pleasure; thanks for your patience.

Answer 26

I was trying to do that, but I have never been good at explaining my work, especially when I don't know how the equation thingy works. The answer is B. Which was my very first guess, and then I changed it to C. Without thinking about it.