slope of a line from two points |
Those among us who have passed introductory algebra simply looked at the question in wonderment: the slope of a line has no x or y value, it is merely a number. We have no idea whether Bryant understood that problem, but we do know that Bradley James would not have picked up his stipend if he had merely said, "This question makes no sense."
So, dollar signs in his eyes, Bryant proceeded to craft an answer of sorts. Brad said,
"Finding the y value is easy if you know the slope of the line and the x coordinate."
First, that's not the "Y Value for the Slope": it's the y value for a given x, which one would calculate from the equation for the line. Oh, yeah, and one also needs the intercept value to make the calculation. Here's how Bradley James got around that particular complication:"Review the equation for the slope of a line. The equation for finding the slope is: m = [y1 - y2] / [x1 - x2]. If you know x, you can solve for y to find the y value for the slope of the line... Define your variables. Graph a line with the following equation: y = -(2/3)x + 3."Wait just a minute, Bradley James! Knowing x does not mean you can calculate the slope! And where did you get that equation, anyway? While it's acceptable to throw out a sample of a slope, e.g., -2⁄3, you can't simply pick a y-intercept to go with it out of thin air! |
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