Module 15

The Straight Line and The

Absolute Value Function

What this module is all about

The straight line is the simplest geometric curve. Despite its simplicity, the straight
line is a vital concept of mathematics and enters into our daily activities in numerous
interesting and useful ways.
This module will teach you how find the equation of a line or write the equation of a
graph of a linear function.
This module will also strengthen your understanding of the connection between
equations and the linear functions they represent. Also, you will learn how to deal with
real world data that tend to be linear.
Many types of calculations give us negative numbers. When we are interested in
real quantities such as distance and location, there is a mathematical way to use these
numbers without representing them as signed numbers. The concept of absolute value is
used to describe such distances and locations.
The last part of this module focuses on the concept of the absolute value of a
number, the graphs of absolute value functions, and solutions of equations involving
absolute values.
This module has five lessons:
Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Lesson 4
Lesson 5

Point-Slope Equation of a Line

Two-Point Equation of a Line
Intercept Equation of a Line
Applications of Linear Functions/Equations
Absolute Value Functions

What you are expected to learn

1

After going through this module, you are expected to:

obtain the equation of a line given the following:

i) the slope and a point
ii) any two points
iii) intercepts

use linear equations in two variables to solve problems

define an absolute value equation y = |x|
construct a table of ordered pairs and draw the graphs
y=x
y = |x| + b
y=x+b
y = |x| b
y=xb
y = |x| + b
y = |x|
y = |x| b

How to learn from this module

Follow the steps suggested in the flowchart below.
Take the Pretest
Check your answers with the
Answer Key placed at the later
part of this Module

Read each lesson and answer Self-check

Check your answers with the Answer Key

Take the Posttest

What to do before (Pretest)

2

Multiple Choice: Read the problems carefully and then select the letter of the correct
answer. Write your answers on a separate sheet of pad paper.
1. What is the absolute value of the sum of 12 and 4?
A. -8

B. -16

C. 8

D. 16

2. What is the equation of the line passing through (0, -5) and with slope of 1?
A. y = -5x + 1

B. y = x 5

C. y = -x + 5

D. y = 5x 1

3. What is the equation of the graph?

Y

2
x3
3

A.

B.

C.

D.

3
x3
2

3
x3
2
2
x3
3

4. Which of the following graphs is represented by the table of the ordered pairs?
x
y

-1
-2

1
-2

0
-3

-2
-1

2
-1

A.

B.
Y

C.

D.
Y

5. What is the table of ordered pairs of

x 0 -1 2 1 -4 |
y 2 3 4 3 6
C.
x -1 0 1 2 -3
D.
6.
y 1 2 3 4 -1
equation x - y = 5 crosses the y-axis at
=

A.

B.

A. -5

B. -1

x
y

-2 -1
0 1

0
2

1
3

2
4

the
equation y
x| + 2?

x
y

-3 -2 -1
5 4 1

0
2

2
0

The graph
of the

C. 1

D. 5

7. What is the equation of the line that passes through the points (-2, 2) and (3,1)?
A. 5x + 5y = 8

B. 5x 5y = 8

C. x + 5y = 8

8. What is the equation of the graph at the right?

4

D. 5x y = 8

A. 3 x 2 y 1
B. 2 x 3 y 1

X
C.

3x 2 y 1

D. 2 x 3 y 1

9. The graph of a line through (-2, -2) and has a slope of -2/3 is:
A.

B.
Y

C.

D.
Y

10. What is the slope and the y-intercept of the graph at the right?
m

1
; y int 2
4

B. m

1
; y int 4
2

A.

C. m 4; y int 4
D. m 4; y int 4

11. What is the equation of the line whose x-intercept is 1/3 and whose
y-intercept is -1/4?
A. 3x 4y = 1

B. 3x + 4y = 8

C. 4x 3y = 1

D. 4x + 3y = 1

12. What is the slope and the coordinates of a point on the graph of the
equation y - 2 = 3(x - 5)?
A. m=3; (2,5)

B. m=3; (5,2)

C. m=3; (-2,-5)

D. m=-3; (-2,-5)

13. A 9-liter container of freshly squeezed orange juice costs P35. A 12-liter
container costs P45. How much would a 16-liter container cost?
A. Php42.15

B. Php48.33

C. Php55.00

D. Php65.00

14. Miss Torres offers tutorial services in mathematics. She charges a flat fee of
P150, plus P60 per hour. Write an equation of the tutorial services fee in slopeintercept form.
A. y = 6x + 150
B. y = 60x + 150

C. y = 150x + 60
D. y = 150x 60

15. What is the value of |a - 3b| when a = -2 and b = 4?

A. -14

B. 10

C. -10

What you will do

6

D. 14

Lesson 1 Point-Slope Equation of a Line

In the previous activity, you learned about the slope of a line. You have learned how
to describe the slopes of lines mathematically and how to apply them as rates of change.
You also learned how to find the slope-intercept form of an equation of a line, that is,
y = mx + b, with slope m and y-intercept b.

Exploration

Now you will explore ways to find the equation of the line when the slope and a point
on the line are given. Let's have a simple example.
Example 1. Find an equation of the line through (2, 4) with slope 1/3.
Solution: a) Draw a Cartesian plane and locate the point (2,4). Thus,
Y
(2,4)

b) From the point (2,4), find another point on the line. Since the slope of the line is
1/3, move one unit upward and 3 units to the right. At what point did you stop?
___________________
Y
(x,y)
(2,4)

X
7

The slope from (2,4) to (x, y) is

m

y4
x2

1
, so
3
1
y4

3
x2

but

Multiplying both sides by (x-2)

1
y 4
=
(x-2)
3
x2

(x-2)

y-4=

Simplifying

1
(x - 2)
3

This equation is said to be in the point-slope form since this form of the
equation was generated using the coordinates of a known point other than the yintercept and the slope of the line.
So, the point-slope form of an equation of a line through the point (x 1, y1) with
slope m is written as
y - y1 = m(x - x1)
This equation tells us that the point (x 1,y1) is any point on the line and that the
slope of the line is m.
You can now write an equation in point-slope form for the graph of any
nonvertical line if you know the slope of the line and the coordinates of one point on
the line.

Example 2. Write the point-slope form of an equation for each line:

a) The line passes through (-2, 5) and has a slope of -3/4.
b) The horizontal line passes through (3,1).

Solution:
a) Applying the point-slope form of a line,
y - y1 = m(x - x1)
y-5=-

3
[x - (-2)]
4

y-5= -

3
(x + 2)
4

point-slope form

equation of the line

b) The slope of a horizontal line is 0 and using the point-slope form

of a line, you get
y - y1 = m(x - x1)

point-slope form

y - 1 = 0(x - 3)
y-1=0
y=1

equation of the line

Self-check

A. Write the equation of the line which passes through the point P and with the slope m.
Draw the lines.
1. P(-2, 1),
3. P(5, -2),

m=3
m = -3/2

2.
4.

P(0, 0),
P(-3, -4),

m = 5/6
m = 1/4

B. State the slope and the coordinates of a point through which the line represented by
each equation passes.
1) y - 2 = -3(x + 1)

2)

y+1=-

3) 2(x + 5) = y - 1

4)

y = -6

4
(x - 2)
5

Lesson 2 Two-Point Form of the Equation of a Line

In the previous lesson you learned how the concepts of slope and a point on the line
are used to write the equation of a line. Now, you will see how to graph a linear equation if
you know only two points on the line.
So far, you have been using the equation of a line to find ordered pairs. But suppose
you know only the coordinates of two points. How could you find the equation of the line
that contains them? There is only one line that passes through two given points. Thus,
given two points, one can determine a line following these steps:

To write the equation of a line through two given points, use the slope-intercept form of a
line, y = mx + b,
Find m from the given coordinates,
Then, find b by solving the equation.

Example 1. Write an equation of the line that passes through the points (-1, 3) and (2, -4).

Solution:
a) First, find the slope of the line.
m

y2 y1
x2 x1

slope formula

4 3 7 7
2 1
2 1
3

slope

b) Substitute this value of m into the slope-intercept form y = mx + b,

y = mx + b

7
y=
x+b
3

slope-intercept form

c) Now, find the y-intercept, b, by substituting the coordinates of either points for x
and y in the equation. Thus, using the point (-1, 3), you get,
3=

7
(-1) + b
3

10

3= 7 +b
3
b = 3- 7
3
b =

2
3

d) Finally, substitute b =

2
in the equation obtained in part (b). thus,
3

y=

7
x+b
3

y=

7
2
x+
3
3

This is the equation of the line

that passes through the points
(-1, 3) and (2, -4).

An alternative way of finding the equation of a line through two given points is to use
the point-slope form of the line. That is,
y - y1 = m(x - x1)

but m =

y 2 y1
x 2 x1

point-slope form

slope formula

Consequently, the equation of the line through (x 1, y1) and (x2, y2) is
y - y1 =

y 2 y1
(x - x1)
x 2 x1

This equation is called the two-point form of the equation of a straight line.

Example 2. Find the equation of the line determined by the points (2, -2) and (4, 5).
Solution: Using the two-point form of a line, you get,

11

y - y1 =

y 2 y1
(x - x1)
x 2 x1

y - (-2) =

5 ( 2)
(x - 2)
42

y+2 =

52
(x - 2)
2

y+2 =

7
(x - 2)
2

y =

7
(x - 2) 2
2

y =

7
7
x(2) - 2
2
2

y =

7
x - 9
2

equation of the line.

Self-check

Solve for the equation of the line given:

a) (3, 3) and (2, 1)
b) (5, 1) and (1, 4)
c) (0, 0) and (3, -4)
d) passing through the origin with slope 0

Lesson 3 Intercept Form of the Equation of a Line

Recall the x and y-intercepts of a line. Suppose the x-intercept of a line is a and the
y-intercept is b, where a 0 and b 0. See Fig. 1 below:

12

Y
(0,b)
(a,0)

Fig. 1

Then the line passes through the points (a, 0) and (0, b). What is the slope of the line
described in Fig. 1? ____________________________________________
Applying the point-slope form of a line with slope
y - y1 = m(x - x1)
y-b =

b
(x - 0)
a

y-b =

b
x
a

b
, you get
a

point-slope form

multiply both sides by a

ay - ay = -bx
bx + ay = ab

divide both sides by ab

x
y
+
=1
a
b

This equation is called the intercept form of a line because the intercepts are given in
the denominators.
Example 1. Write the equation of the line whose x-intercept is 5 and whose y-intercept is -2.
Solution: Using the intercept-form of a line with a = 5 and b = -2, you have
x
y
+
=1
a
b

intercept form of a line

13

x
y
+
=1
5
2

2x - 5y = 10

multiplying both sides by 10

equation of the line

Example 2. Write the equation 4x + 7y = 28 in the intercept form.

Solution: Divide both sides of 4x + 7y = 28 by 28.
x
y
+
=1
7
4

Self-check

1 A. Write the equation of the line with x-intercepts a and y-intercept b in each of the
following:
1. a = -3,
3. a =

4
,
9

2.

a=

1
2

4.

a = -1,

b=

2 B. Express each equation in the intercept form:

a.
b.
c.
d.

3
,
5

b = -8

6x - 5y = 30
9y = 4x + 36
2x = 5y + 9
3x - 4y = 8

14

b=1
b = -2

Lesson 4 Applications of Linear Equations/Functions

You have learned how line, with their slopes and y-intercepts, or any two points on it,
can be matched with equations. We continue to look at the relationship between these
equations and the practical part everyday function they represent.
Real-world data often have functional relationships that can be written as equations.
These equations can be used to make predictions, with or without graphs. Let's have some
examples.
Example 1. Ana baked 10 cakes in 5 hours. She worked for 2 more hours and had
baked a total of 15 cakes. How many cakes had she baked after 10 hours?
Solution:
a) Know what is asked.
The number of cakes she had baked after 10 hours.
b) Make a table to show the number of cakes she baked in certain number of hours.
No. of hours (x)
5
No. of cakes she 10
baked (y)

7
15

10
20

c) Solve the problem.

Show the table as a rule and as an equation.
Rule: The number of cakes she baked was 2 times the number of hours.
Equation:
Check:

y = 2x
y = 2x
y = 2(10)
y = 20

She had baked 20 cakes after 10 hours.

Example 2. How much exercise is the right amount? Most health experts suggest that you

15

should exercise to the point where your heart rate reaches a target level
based on your age. Here's a rule that is suggested:
To find your target heart rate or pulse . . . ..
Subtract your age from 220.
a) Write an equation for the relationship.
b) Find your target rate using the equation.
c) What is the target heart rate for a 5-year old child?
Solution:
a) Know what is asked.
i)
ii)

Your target heart rate

The target heart rate of a 5-year old child

b) Make a table to show the target heart rate for some people.
Age(x)
Target heart rate(y)

15
205

30
190

45
175

c) Solve the problem.

Rule: Subtract the age from 220.
Equation: y = 220 - x
To find your age, say your 16 years old,
y = 220 - 16
y = 204

target heart rate of a 16-year old

Similarly, the target heart rate of a 5-year old child is,

y = 220 - 5
y = 215

Self-check

Following the procedures used in examples 1 and 2 of this lesson, solve the given
problems below:
16

1. An employee makes 7 pans of pizzas per hour. How many pans of pizzas can he make
if he works 8 hours?
2. A swimming pool was being filled with water. It was 1.22 m deep after 3 hours and
1.52 m deep after 5 hours.
a. Write an equation for the relationship.
b. How long will it take a pool to a depth of 2.13 m

Lesson 5 Absolute Value Function

In this lesson, you will learn how to express distances between points mathematically
and to solve equations involving distances.
Take a look of the number line below:
5 units

-7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1

3 units

5 6

What are the numbers on the right of 0 on the number line? ______________
On the left of 0? ________________________________________________
The numbers to the right of 0 on the number line are positive and the numbers to the left of
0 are negative. The distance from 0 to 3 is 3 while the distance from 0 to -5 is what? _____
Distance is always positive (or zero). In mathematics, we use absolute value to describe
distance on a number line.

The absolute value of a number is the distance between the number and zero on the
number line. We write |x| to mean the absolute value of x.

Consider the following examples:

1. | 9 | = 9

2.
17

| -9 | = 9

3.
5.
7.
9.

|-1.2 | = 1.2
|-3| + 4 = 3 + 4 = 7
|-5 + 3| = |-2| = 2
|6 - 4| = |2| = 2

4.
6.
8.
10.

|0| = 0
|5| - 2 = 5 - 2 = 3
|-3 - 1| = |-4| = 4
|-3 + 4| + |-6 - 1| = |1| + |-7| = 1 + 7 = 8

From the examples above, the absolute value of zero or a positive number is what?______
How about the absolute value of a negative number, what can you say about it? ________
Notice that the absolute value of any real number is a non-negative number. Try the
following numbers below:
Find the numbers:

1.
3.
5.

|-6|
|4|
|6|

2.
4.

|-12|
|10|

2.
4.

12
10

The answers are:

1.
3.
5.

6
4
6

We can build a definition for the absolute value of a number, that is

if

x0

-x

if

x0

|x| =

Having known the definition of the absolute value of a real number, you will see what the
graph of the function y = |x| and related functions look like.
Example 1. Find a table of values for y = x and sketch the graph.
The table of ordered pairs of y = x

Graph
Y

x
y

0
0

1
1

-2
-2

4
4
X
y=x
18

The graph of y = x is in Quadrant I and Quadrant III.

Now, graph the function y = |x|.
y=|x|
x
y

Graph
0
0

1
1

-1
1

-3
3

X
Notice that the Quadrant III "arm" of the
graph y = x is not flipped over into
Quadrant II.
The function y = |x| is called the absolute value function.
Thus,

The absolute value function is a relationship that can be

represented by the equation y = |x|, where x is any real number.

To graph the absolute value function, simply find enough ordered pairs of the
function, then plot them and see what the graph looks alike.
In the next example, you will explore and try to graph other functions involving
absolute value.

Exploration

Example 2. Graph y = x + b where b = 2 by finding a table of values.

y=x+2

Graph
19

X
Y

0
2

1
3

-1
1

-3
-1

y = x +2

Fig.1

Example 3. Find a table of values for y = |x + 2| and y = |x - 2|. Compare the graphs with
the graph of y = x + 2.
Solution: The table of values for y = |x + 2| and y = |x - 2| is:
x
y = |x+ 2|
y = |x - 2|

-5
3
7

-4
2
6

-3
1
5

-2
0
4

-1
1
3

0
2
2

1
3
1

2
4
2

Plotting these ordered pairs, you get

y = |x + 2|

y = |x - 2|

Fig. 2

Fig. 3
20

3
5
1

Notice again that the Quadrant III "arm" of the graph of y = x + 2 (see Fig. 1) is now flipped
over into Quadrant II (see Fig. 2). Also the graph of y = |x - 2| was moved four units to the
right. So they differ only by their vertices.
Example 3. a) Copy and complete the table to find points for the graphs of y = |x| + 2 and
y = |x| - 2
x
y = |x| + 2
y = |x| - 2

-3
5
1

-2

-1

1
3
-1

1
3
-1

2
4
0

3
5
1

b) Sketch the graphs in different Cartesian planes.

c) How do the graphs differ from one another?

Solution:
a) The table of values for y = |x| +2 and y = |x| - 2:
x
y = |x| + 2
y = |x| - 2

-3
5
1

-2
4
0

-1
3
-1

0
2
-2

b)Graphs are:
y = |x| + 2
Y

y = |x| - 2
Y

21

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

c) The graphs are similar. They only differ by their vertices. The vertex of the graph of
y = |x| + 2 , which is (0, 2) was moved to (0, -2).
We can now summarize the graphs of the absolute value function y = |x|, and check how
these are similar to other equations you have graphed.

The graphs of the absolute function y = |x| when x is any real number
are V-shaped.
The graphs of the functions y = |x + b| and y = |x - b| are also V-shaped
but their vertices are moved b units to the right/left from the origin.
The graphs of the functions y = |x| + b and y = |x| - b are also V-shaped
and their vertices are moved b units up/down from the origin.
To graph y = |x| + b, move the graph of y = |x| b units upward if b is
positive and b units downward if b is negative.

Self-check

A. Perform the indicated operation.

1. | -2 | - | 3
2. | 6 7 |
3. | -3 + 2 | + | -6 5|

4. | -12 |
5. 4 + | -3 |

B. Identify how to translate the graph of y = | x | to obtain the graph of each function.

22

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

y=|x|-5
y=|x4|
y = -6 + | x |
y=|x+3|
y=|x|+4

Lets summarize

The point-slope form of the equation of a line is y - y1 = m(x - x1), where m is the
slope of the line and (x1, y1) is a any point on it.
The two-point form of the equation of a line is y - y1 =

y 2 y1
(x - x1) , where (x1,
x 2 x1

y1) and (x2, y2) are any two distinct points on the line.

The intercept equation of a line is

x
y
+
= 1, where a is the x-intercept
a
b

and b is the y-intercept.

The absolute value function is a function defined by y = |x| where x is any

real number.

The graphs of the absolute value function are V-shaped figures.

What to do after
(Posttest)
Multiple Choice: Choose the letter of the correct answer.
1. What is the absolute value of the sum of -2 and -6?
A. -8

B. 4

C. 8

D. 12

2. What is the equation of the line passing through (0, 6) and whose slope is -2?

23

A. y = -2x 6

B. y = 2x + 6

C. y = -2x + 6

D. y = 2x 6

3. What equation is represented by the graph?

Y

A.

y=x+3

B.

y = -x + 3

C.

y=x3

D.

y = -x 3

4. Which of the following graphs is represented by y = | x | + 1?

A.
B.
Y
Y

C.

D.

5. What is the equation of the line passing through ( -3, 5) and (-1, 7)?
A. y = -x 8

B. y = -x + 8

C. y = x 8

D. y = x + 8

6. The graph of the equation x + y = 2 crosses the x-axis at

A. 2

B. -2

C. 1

D. -1

7. Which of the following points is contained in the graph of the equation 3x - y = 6?

A. (1, -9)

B. (-1, 9)

C. (-1, 3)

24

D. (1, -3)

8. The equation of a line through (1, -3) and having a slope of -1 is

A. x + y = -2

B. x + y = 2

C. x + 2y = 1

D. 2x + y = 1

9. The graph of the equation y = 4x - 1 is

Y

A.

B.

C.

D.

10. What is the slope and the y-intercept of the equation 5y 10x - 1 = 0?
C. m 2; y int

A. m 2; y int 5
B. m 2; y int

1
5

D. m 2; y int 5

11. Which equation would give the graph at the right?

A.

y = |x - 4|

B.

y = |x| - 4

C.

y = |x + 4|

D.

y = |x| + 4

1
5

25

12. Which of the following graphs is the graph of y = 4 ?

A.

C.

B.

D.

13. When you buy an item from a credit car on a mail order catalog you pay a 10%
sales tax. If you want the item set immediately by a delivery service, you must
pay an additional P100 per order. The equation that shows this relationship is
y = 0.10x + 100, where x is the cost of the item before tax and y is the cost of one
item sent immediately. What is the cost of an item priced P875 and shipped
immediately?
A. Php1875.00 B. Php1062.25 C. Php962.50
D. Php975.00
14. The maximum heart rate during exercise for a 20-year old is 200 beats per
minute, and the maximum heart rate for a 70-year old is 150 beats per
minute.(Nordic Track Brochure). What is the equation that shows the
relationship between the maximum heart rate of a person and his/her age?
A. x + y - 180 = 0
B. x - y + 180 = 0

C. x - y - 180 = 0
D. x + y + 180 = 0

15. Which of the following points contained in the graph of y = |x| + 1?

A. (0,-1)

B. (1,0)

C. (-1,2)

26

D. (-1,1)

Answer Key
Pretest

3. m = 2; (-5, 1)
4. m = 0; (0, -6)

1. c
2. b
3. a
4. b
5. a
6. d
7. c
8. b
9. c
10. c
11. a
12. b
13. b
14. c
15. d

Lesson 2. Self-Check
1.
2.
3.
4.

2x - y = 3
3x + 4y = 19
3x + 4y = 0
y=0

Lesson 3. Self-Check
1.

a.
b.
c.
d.

2.

8x + 3y = -24
5x - 3y = -3
9x + 8y = 4
2x + y = -2
a.

Lesson 1. Self-Check
b.
A. 1.
2.
3.
4.

3x - y = 7
5x - 6y = 0
3x + 2y = 11
x - 4y = -13

x
y
+
=1
5
6
x
y
+
=1
9
4

x
y
+
9
9 = 1
2
5
x
y
d. 8 +
=1
2
3
c.

B. 1. m = -3 ; (-1, 2)
2. m = -4/5; (2, -1)

Lesson 4. Self-Check
1.
No. of hours (x)
No. of pizzas (y)

1
7

2
14

3
21

4
28

5
35

6
42

7
49

8
56

Rule: The number of pans of pizzas made is 7 times the number of hours.
Equation: y = 7x

27

Check: If x = 8; y = 7(8)
y = 56
Therefore: the employee made 56 pans of pizzas in 8 hours.
2.

a. 2x + y = 11
b. 9 hours

Lesson 5. Self-Check
A.

1. -1
2. 1
3. 12
4. 12
5. 7

B. 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Vertex (0, -5)

Vertex (4, 0)
Vertex (0, -6)
Vertex (-3, 0)
Vertex (0, 4)

Posttest
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

c
c
c
a
d
a
d
a
c

10. b
11. b
12. a
13. b
14. d
15. c
END OF MODULE

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