7.

1 Slope-Intercept Form

Focus on …
• identifying the slope
and y-intercept of a
straight-line graph
• determining a linear
equation using slope
and y-intercept
• rewriting a linear
relation in slope-
intercept form
• graphing equations in
slope-intercept form
• solving problems using Many relationships can be modelled by the graph of a straight line.
equations in slope- For example, a farmer purchases chicken feed pellets by mass, yet
intercept form dispenses the feed by volume. When the farmer analyses the feeding
of chickens, the relationship between the volume of feed pellets in
a dispenser and the mass of the feed may be modelled by a linear
equation. Linear equations can be written in different forms. Each
form can provide specific information about the graph.

Materials Investigate the Graph of a Linear Equation

• two metre sticks
• elastic band 1. a) Suspend a metre stick between
• foam cup two chairs or desks. Attach an
• paper clips, string, or elastic band across the diameter of
tape a foam cup using paper clips. Loop length of
• toothpick or apparatus, y
the other end of the elastic band
straightened paper clip around the metre stick. Poke a
• six identical marbles
toothpick horizontally through the toothpick
or other items of equal
mass bottom edge of the cup.
• ruler b) Position another metre stick
• grid paper vertically beside the suspended cup. Measure the length of
the apparatus, y, in centimetres, from the top of the elastic
band to the bottom of the cup. Use the toothpick to help you
locate the reading on the metre stick.

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 2. a) Place one marble in the cup. Let the cup come to rest.
Measure and record the length of the apparatus. One at a
time, place the other marbles in the cup. After adding each
marble, measure the length of the apparatus again.
b) On grid paper, plot the individual data points. Plot the
number of marbles along the x-axis. Using a ruler, draw a
straight line that represents the data.

3. Identify the independent and dependent variables.

4. Determine the slope of the line. What are the units of the
slope? What does the slope of the line represent in this
situation?

5. a) Identify the point where the line intersects the y-axis.

What does this point represent in this situation?
b) Starting at this point, explain how to use the slope to
determine the length of the apparatus when one, two, or
three marbles are in the cup.

6. Use the y-intercept and slope to determine what the length of y-intercept
the apparatus would be if ten marbles were in the cup. Does • the y-coordinate of the
your graph support your answer? point where a line or
curve crosses the y-axis
7. a) Write the equation of the line in slope-intercept form . • the value of y when
Let y represent the length of the apparatus, in centimetres. x=0
Let x represent the number of marbles in the cup.
slope-intercept form
b) Use the equation to estimate the length of the apparatus if
• the equation of a
the cup contains 15 marbles. line in the form
y = mx + b, where m
8. Reflect and Respond Suppose you use a cup that is 4 cm taller is the slope of the line
but has the same mass as the foam cup used. and b is the y-intercept
a) How would this change the data you collected?
b) Describe how the graph would change.
c) Write an equation in slope-intercept form that represents
this situation.

9. Suppose you use items that are double the mass of the
marbles used.
a) How would this change your data?
b) Describe how the graph would change.
c) Represent this situation using an equation written in
slope-intercept form.

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 Link the Ideas
To write the equation of a straight-line graph, you can use the
following two constants:
• the rate of change or slope, m
• the y-intercept. If (0, b) is the point where the line crosses the y-
axis, then b is the y-intercept.
The equation of a non-vertical straight-line graph can be written
in slope-intercept form. The equation is y = mx + b, where m
represents the slope _rise and b represents the y-intercept.
run( )
y-intercept, Equation,
Table of Values Graph Slope, m b y = mx + b

x y
y
2 m=
_
Δy 1 y = 2x + 1
Δx
0 1
m=
_
2
2 x
1
1 3 -2 0
m=2
2 5 -2

x y
y
m=
_
Δy 1
y=
_1 x + 1
2 2
Δx
0 1
m=
_
1
2 x
2
2 2 -2 0

4 3 -2

x y
y
m=
_
Δy -1
y=
_1 x + (-1)
2 2
Δx
0 -1
m=
_
1
2
2 0 -2 0 2 x

4 1 -2

x y
y
2 m=
_
Δy -1 y = -2x + (-1)
Δx
0 -1
m=
_
-2
1
1 -3 -2 0 2 x
m = -2
2 -5 -2

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 Example 1 Write the Equation of a Line in Slope-Intercept Form
a) What are the slope y
and y-intercept of the line
4
shown in the graph?
b) Write the equation of the 2
line in slope-intercept form,
y = mx + b.
-4 -2 0 2 4 x
c) Use graphing technology to
check your equation. -2

-4

Solution
a) The y-intercept is 1. Therefore, b = 1. What do you
know about the
Using the points (0, 1) and (3, -1), the slope is
slope if the line
m=_ rise
run
falls from left
to right?

m = __
y2 - y1
x2 - x 1
m= __
-1 -1
3-0
m = -_ 2 How else could you
3 determine the slope?
The slope is - _
2 and the y-intercept is 1.
3
b) Substitute the values of m and b into the slope-intercept form of
an equation.
y = mx + b
y = -_2x + 1
3
The equation of the line in slope-intercept form is y = - _
2 x + 1.
3
c) Create the graph using technology.
How can you confirm
that this is the
equation of the line
that passes through
the points (0, 1) and
(3, -1)?

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 Your Turn
a) What are the slope and y-intercept of the line shown in
the graph?
y

-4 -2 0 2 4 x

-2

-4

b) What is the equation of the line in slope-intercept form,

y = mx + b?
c) Use graphing technology to check your equation.

Example 2 Convert an Equation to Slope-Intercept Form

A students’ council rents a portable dunk tank as a fund-raising
activity. Students pay for the chance to hit a target with a ball
and dunk a teacher into a tank of water.

The relationship between the number of balls thrown, x, and the

profit, y, in dollars, may be represented by the equation
3x - 2y - 600 = 0.
a) Rewrite the equation in slope-intercept form.
b) State the slope of the line. What does the slope represent?
c) Identify the y-intercept. What does it represent?
d) The break-even point is the point at which the money raised
equals the money spent. How many balls must the students
sell to reach the break-even point?

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 Solution
a) Rearrange the equation into the form y = mx + b. To do this,
isolate the variable y.
3x - 2y - 600 = 0
3x - 600 = 2y
3x - 2y - 600 + 2y = 0 + 2y
Dividing all terms by 2
3x - 600 = 2y
_
3x _
600 _
2y
_ x - 300 = y
3 gives
2
-
2
=
2
.
2 _
3
The equation written in slope-intercept form is y = _
So, y = x - 300.
3 x - 300. 2
2

b) The slope of the line is

_3 or 1.5. It represents income of $1.50
2
per ball. The slope is positive because the money is coming in.

c) The y-intercept is -300. It represents a cost of $300 to rent the

portable dunk tank. It is negative because the money is paid out
as an expense.

d) At the break-even point, students do not make or lose money.

So, the profit is zero.
Substitute y = 0 into the equation and solve for x.
y=_ 3 x - 300
2
0=_ 3 x - 300
2
300 = _3 x - 300 + 300
2
2(300) = 2 _
1
3x
( )
2
1
600 = 3x
200 = x
To reach the break-even point, they must sell 200 balls, at a rate
of $1.50 per ball. They will make money if they sell more than
200 balls. They lose money if they sell fewer than 200 balls.

Your Turn
Parents of members of the cheerleading squad rent a hall. They
arrange a talent show as a fundraiser. The relationship between
the number of tickets sold, x, and the profit, y, in dollars, may be
represented by the equation 12x - y - 840 = 0.
a) What is the slope of the line? What does the slope represent?
b) Identify the y-intercept. What does it represent?
c) How many tickets must the parents sell to reach the
break-even point?

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 Did You Know?
In 1998, the Canadian Example 3 Model and Solve a Problem Using an Equation in
Armed Forces purchased Slope-Intercept Form
four submarines from
Submarines must withstand
Britain. The submarines Depth (m) Pressure (kPa)
were named after
tremendous pressure exerted
on all sides by the water. The 0 100
Canadian port cities.
The Victoria is based at table shows the linear 25 350
Esquimalt, BC. It is part relationship between pressure 50 600
of the Maritime Forces and water depth.
Pacific fleet. 75 850
a) Sketch a graph of the data.
b) What is the slope of the line? What does it represent?
parameter c) Determine the value of the parameter b. What does this
• a variable that has a value represent?
constant value in a d) Write an equation that models the relationship between
particular equation pressure, P, in kilopascals, and water depth, d, in metres.
Express the equation in slope-intercept form.
e) The deepest point on Earth is Challenger Deep
in the Mariana Trench. This trench is located
in the Pacific Ocean. In 1960, the research
submarine Trieste reached the bottom of
Challenger Deep. At this depth, the
walls protecting the two crew
members had to withstand a
pressure of 109 300 kPa. What
is the approximate depth of
Challenger Deep?

Solution
a) The independent variable
is depth. The dependent variable is
pressure. Plot the coordinate pairs (0, 100),
(25, 350), (50, 600), and (75, 850). Both depth and pressure can
be any real number, so join the points with a straight line.
P Pressure on a Submarine

1000
Pressure (kPa)

800

600

400

200

0 25 50 75 100 d
Water Depth (m)

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 b) Determine the ratio of vertical change to horizontal change.

m= _
Δy
What values could you use to
Δx calculate Δy and Δx?
_
m = 250
25
m = 10
The slope of the line is 10. This means that for every metre you
descend, the pressure increases by 10 kPa.

c) The parameter, b, represents the y-intercept, which is equal

to 100. The air pressure is 100 kPa at the surface of the water,
where water depth is 0 m.

d) Substitute m = 10 and b = 100 into y = mx + b.

y = 10x + 100
If P represents pressure and d represents depth, then the
equation of the line is P = 10d + 100.

e) Substitute 109 300 for P.

P = 10d + 100
109 300 = 10d + 100
109 200 = 10d
10 920 = d
The approximate depth of Challenger Deep is 10 920 m.

Your Turn
Asha has selected a hotel for her wedding reception. The cost
involves a fee for the deluxe ballroom and a buffet charge
that depends on the number of guests. This is shown in the table.

Number of Guests Cost ($)

0 425
25 1800
50 3175
100 5925

a) Sketch a graph of the data in the table.

b) What are the slope and y-intercept of the line?
What does each parameter represent?
c) Write an equation that describes the relationship between the
cost and the number of guests. Express the equation in slope-
intercept form.
d) What is the cost for 140 guests?
e) Asha would like the total cost to be no more than $15 000. What
is the maximum number of guests that can attend?

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 Example 4 Determine an Unknown Parameter
Did You Know?
An archaeologist simulates a
To boil water, some First
Nations people used to
First Nations method of boiling
dig a bowl-shaped pit in water by adding hot rocks to an
the ground. Then, they earthen pit filled with water. As
lined the bottom with the rocks cool and lose their heat,
buffalo hide. They added the archaeologist replaces them
water and red-hot rocks
with new rocks from the fire.
to the pit, until the water
boiled.
Suppose the water temperature Cooking in a Fire Pit by Shayne Tolman
rises at a constant rate. The Painting on display at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo
Jump Interpretive Centre likely represents
temperature of the water at the 2500-year-old Besant culture.
start of the experiment is 10 °C.
The equation W = mt + 10 models how the temperature of the
water, W, in degrees Celsius, increases at a constant rate of m
degrees Celsius per minute for t minutes.
a) After 5 min, the water temperature is 19 °C. Determine the value
of the parameter m. What does m represent?
b) How long will it take for the water to boil?

Solution
a) Represent a temperature of 19 °C after 5 min as the point (5, 19).
Did You Know?
Substitute the coordinates of the point (5, 19) into the given
The coordinates of a equation. Solve for m.
point on a graph satisfy
W = mt + 10
the equation of the
graph. Conversely, a
19 = m(5) + 10
point whose coordinates 19 - 10 = 5m
satisfy an equation is a 9 = 5m
point on a graph of the _9 = m or m = 1.8
equation. 5
For example,
The parameter m represents the rate at which the temperature of
The point (1, 8) is a point the water increases per minute. The water temperature increases
on the graph of y = 3x + 5. at a rate of 1.8 °C/min.
Substituting x = 1 and
b) Solve the equation for t when W is 100 °C. What does W = 100 °C
y = 8. represent?
8 = 3(1) + 5
W = 1.8t + 10
8 = 8 True. 100 = 1.8t + 10
Conversely, since the
90 = 1.8t
point (1, 8) satisfies 50 = t
the equation, (1, 8) is a The water boils after 50 min.
point on the graph of the
equation y = 3x + 5. Your Turn
A decorator’s fee can be modelled by the equation F = 75t + b. In the
equation, F represents the fee, in dollars, t represents time, in hours,
and b represents the cost of the initial consultation, in dollars.
a) Suppose the decorator spends 4 h working for a client and
charges the client $450. Determine the value of the parameter b.
b) How many hours does the decorator work if a client is
charged $975?
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 Key Ideas
• The slope-intercept form of a linear equation is y = mx + b,
where m represents the slope and b represents the y-intercept.
y = 2x + 1

slope = 2 y-intercept = 1
_
rise = _
2 The graph passes through (0, 1).
run 1
y
y = 2x + 1
4

-4 -2 0 2 4 x

-2

Check Your Understanding

Practise
1. What are the slope and y-intercept of each line?

a) y = -5x + 4
_3
b) y = x + 1
4
c) y = x - 7 d) y = -4x
e) y = -3 f) y = 0.5x - 1.25

2. Consider the line y = -3x + 2.

a) What are the slope and y-intercept of the line?
b) Explain how you could sketch the graph of this line using
the slope and y-intercept.

3. Sketch the graph of each line using the slope and y-intercept.
Use graphing technology to check your graphs.
a) y = 2x - 3 b) y = -4x + 8
c) y = -x + 1 d) y =
_5 x - 4
2
_3
e) y = - x + 2 f) y = 5
4

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 4. Omar determines the slope and y-intercept of the line
3x - 2y - 8 = 0. His work is shown.
3x - 2y = 8 Step 1
-2y = -3x + 8 Step 2
_3
y= x+4 Step 3
2
The slope of the line is
_3 and the y-intercept is 4. Step 4
2
a) In which line did Omar first make an error?
b) Correct Omar’s work.

5. Express each equation in slope-intercept form. Write the slope

and y-intercept of each line.
a) 2x + y = 6
b) 3x + y + 9 = 0
c) 5x + 6y = 8
d) 6x - y = 4
e) 7x - y + 9 = 0
f) 8x - 4y = 3

6. Write the equation of each line in the form y = mx + b.

a) slope = -3, y-intercept = 2

b) slope =
_5 , y-intercept = -4
6
c) slope = -0.75, y-intercept = -5
d) slope = 1, y-intercept = -7
e) slope = -1, y-intercept = 0

f) slope = 0, y-intercept =
_1
3
7. Use the following equations to answer each question. Justify
your answers.
Equation A: y = 3x - 5
Equation B: y = -4x + 1
Equation C: y = x + 2
Equation D: y = - _
1x
2
a) Which lines slope up from left to right?
b) Which lines slope down from left to right?
c) Arrange the lines from greatest to least y-intercepts.
d) Which lines pass through the origin?

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 8. What are the slope and y-intercept of each line? Write the
equation of each line in slope-intercept form.
a) y b) y

4 4

2 2

-2 0 2 x -4 -2 0 2 4 x

-2 -2

-4 -4

c) y d) y

6 4

4 2

2
-6 -4 -2 0 2 x

-2
0 2 4 x

-2 -4

e) y f) y

2 4

2
-2 0 2 x

-2
-4 -2 0 2 x

-4 -2

9. Consider the equation y = 3x + b. What is each value of b if a

graph of the line passes through each point?
a) (4, 9) b) (-4, 6)
c) (3, -2) d) (-1, -8)

10. For the equation y = mx - 2, what is each value of m if the line

passes through each point?
a) (3, 1) b) (-2, 8)
c) (4, -8) d) (-6, -1)

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 11. A photograph of the Dimensions of the Saamis Tipi
Did You Know? y
Saamis Tipi is shown 70
The Saamis Tipi, a on a metre grid. Write
stylized structure, is
the equation of each 60
located in Medicine Hat,
AB. It was originally
line representing the
50
constructed for the 1988 extreme left post

Height of Tipi (m)

Olympics as a tribute to and the extreme 40
First Nations peoples. right post. Express
the equations in 30
slope-intercept form.
20

10

30
-30 20
-20 10
-10 0 10 20 30 x

Base of Tipi (m)

12. State the slope and y-intercept of each equation. Then, identify
the graph that matches the equation. Use graphing technology to
check your answers.
a) y = -2x + 3 b) y = 2x - 3

c) y =
_1 x - 3 d) y = - x + 3
_1
2 2
Graph A y Graph B y

4 2

2
-2 0 2 4 6 x

-2
-2 0 2 4 6 x

-2 -4

Graph C y Graph D y

4 4

2 2

-4 -2 0 2 4 x -4 -2 0 2 4 x

-2 -2

-4 -4

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 13. Write an equation to represent each situation.
a) The cost, C, to take n students to the theatre is $300 to rent a
bus and $6.25 per ticket.
b) The taxi fee, T, is $3.60 to start plus $1.48 for each kilometre
travelled, x.
c) A rewritable Blu-ray disc has 1024 MB of data stored on it.
When new data is added to the disc, the total data, D, in
megabytes, stored on the disc at time t seconds increases at
a rate of 54 MB/s.
d) A water delivery truck is
filling the water tank in
Simeonie’s house. The
truck arrived with 2500 L
of water. The number
of litres of water, L,
remaining in the truck at
time t minutes decreases
at a rate of 120 L/min.

Apply
14. At the centre of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
Did You Know?
emblem is a compass that may be created using the ten line
segments, labelled y1 to y10, in the figure. Work with a partner Canada has been a
member of NATO since
to determine the equation of each line segment. Express your
NATO's formation in
equations in the form y = mx + b. For each equation, do not 1949. The main goal of
consider the boundaries of the line segment. NATO is to safeguard the
y freedom and security of
its member countries.
10

y1 y2
5

y8 y7
y5 y6

–10 –5 0 5 10 x
y9 y 10

–5
y3 y4

–10

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 15. A group of students tested how
different masses changed the
lengths of two different coil mass
springs. The results of their
experiments
are summarized in the table. mass
Spring 1 Spring 2 Spring 1 Spring 2
Mass Length Length
(g) (cm) (cm)
0 8 24
4 14 18
8 20 12
12 26 6

a) For each spring, write an equation to model how spring

length, L, in centimetres, changes with mass, x, in grams.
Express each equation in slope-intercept form.
b) What does a negative slope represent in the experiment?

16. About 12 000 years ago

Did You Know?
during the last glacial
Many animals that period, giant bison roamed
roamed Earth at the
the plains of North
time of the last glacial
period are now extinct.
America. Using fossil
These include the sabre- bones, paleontologists
toothed cat, mammoth, can estimate the size of
mastodon, and giant these huge animals. The
beaver, bison, and bear. equation y = 2.4x - 7.9
Other animals that
approximates the
roamed the area that is
now known as western relationship between an Painting of giant bison by Ludo Beogaet

Canada during this time adult male bison’s front

include the horse, camel, limb length, y, in centimetres, and the length of its humerus
antelope, and ground bone, x, in centimetres.
sloth.
a) Sketch a graph of the equation y = 2.4x - 7.9.
b) Use graphing technology to check your graph. Then,
estimate, to the nearest centimetre, the front limb length
of each bison:
• an extinct giant bison with a fossil humerus bone length
of 40.2 cm
• a modern North American bison with a humerus bone
length of 32.6 cm
c) By what percent was the giant bison taller than the modern
bison?

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 17. Marge uses graphing
technology to graph a line. A
table of values for the line is
shown. What is the equation of
the line? Express the equation
in slope-intercept form.

18. Unit Project Exposure to cold weather can cause frostbite

and hypothermia. Mountain climbers, sky divers, and other
high-altitude enthusiasts must protect their skin because air
temperature decreases as altitude increases. This rate of decrease
in temperature is nearly constant, up to about 11 000 m.
An airplane taking off in the Yukon Territory recorded the
following temperatures.
Altitude (m) Temperature (°C)
0 12
4000 -13.6 Did You Know?
8000 -39.2 The coldest recorded
temperature in North
a) Sketch a straight-line graph of the data. America was -63 °C on
b) What is the slope of the line expressed as a fraction in lowest February 3, 1947. It was
terms? What does the slope represent? recorded in the village of
Snag, YT. Temperatures
c) What is the y-intercept? What does it represent? at higher altitudes can
d) Write an equation that describes the relationship between get even colder.
temperature, T, in degrees Celsius, and altitude, A, in metres.
e) Mount Logan is in Kluane National
Park and Reserve, YT. At a height of
5959 m, Mount Logan is the highest
mountain in Canada. It is the second
highest mountain in North America.
Predict the temperature a climber
would experience at the peak of
Mount Logan on the day that the
airplane collected the data. Assume
minimal wind.
f) Most people are at risk of frostbite
within 10-20 min of exposure to temperatures
below -20 °C. Predict the altitudes at which the temperature
will be below -20 °C.

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 19. Write the equation of a line with the same slope as the
line x + 4y + 8 = 0 and the same y-intercept as the line
2x - 3y + 12 = 0.

Extend
20. When graphed, the equations x + 4y = n and 5x - 2y = 10 have
the same y-intercept. What is the value of n?

21. A graph of 6x - ny = 8 and 2x + 3y = 12 shows two lines that

have the same slope. What is the value of n?

22. A line has a y-intercept of 3 and forms an angle of 45° with the
x-axis. Write the equation of this line in the form y = mx + b.

23. Consider the equation 2x + y = 200. When graphed, how many

points (x, y) on the line will have natural numbers for both the
x-coordinate and y-coordinate?

Create Connections
24. Explain how to determine the slope and y-intercept of a line
given each representation.
a) a table of (x, y) values
b) a graph of the line
c) an equation of the line in the form y = mx + b

25. Explain how you could use the slope and y-intercept of a line to
a) write the equation of the line
b) create a graph of the line

Materials 26. MINI LAB

• graphing technology or Step 1 Use technology to graph each set of equations on the
grid paper and ruler
same display. Then, sketch a graph of each set.
a) y1 = x + 5 b) y1 = x - 1 c) y1 = -x + 2
y2 = -2x + 5 y2 = 2x - 2 y2 = -x + 4
y3 = 3x + 5 y3 = -3x + 3 y3 = -x + 6
Step 2 Describe the similarities and differences between each
set of lines. Lines that share at least one characteristic
are called a family of lines. Why might each set be
considered a family of lines?
Step 3 Write the equation of another line that belongs to each
family. Use graphing technology to check your answers.
Step 4 Create your own family of lines. Write the equations of
the lines in slope-intercept form. Share with a partner
and describe each other’s family of lines.

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 7.2 General Form

The slope-intercept form of an equation is one of the most

common ways to write the equation of a line. Suppose you place
a transparent grid on the Canadian flag. Most, but not all, of
the line segments in the flag could be expressed as equations in
Focus on … slope-intercept form. Can you think of a type of line that cannot
• converting a linear be expressed in the form y = mx + b? In this section, you will
equation to general explore a general way of writing the equation of any line.
form
• using intercepts to
graph a line
• relating the intercepts
of a graph to the
situation
• solving problems using
equations in general
form

Materials Investigate Intercepts

• bottle of water
• stopwatch and General Form
• grid paper and ruler or Leora quenches her thirst after
graphing technology
a soccer game by drinking
a large glass of water
at a constant rate. The
straight-line graph on the
following page shows
how the volume of water
in the glass changes
with time.

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 y Volume of Water in Glass
600

Volume (mL)
400

200

0 5 10 15 x
Time (s)

1. Identify the domain and range in this situation.

2. Identify the slope of the line segment. What does the sign of
the slope mean? What does the slope represent?
3. What is the y-intercept of the line segment? What does the
y-intercept represent?
4. a) What is the equation of the line in slope-intercept form?
b) Rearrange the terms in the equation so that the right side is
general form zero. This is the general form of an equation.
• the equation of
5. a) Identify the x-intercept of the line. What does the
a line in the form
Ax + By + C = 0, x-intercept represent?
where A, B, and C are b) Write the coordinates of the x-intercept and the y-intercept.
real numbers, and A and
B are not both zero. By 6. Time yourself while drinking a 500-mL bottle of water slowly
convention, A is a whole at a constant rate.
number. This means a) Sketch a straight-line graph to show how the volume of
that A will always be water remaining in the bottle changes with time.
positive.
b) Compare your graph to Leora’s graph. How can you tell who
x-intercept drank more, who finished first, and who drank at a faster rate?
• the x-coordinate of the c) Write the equation of your graph in both slope-intercept
point where a line or form and general form.
curve crosses the x-axis
7. Reflect and Respond
• the value of x when
y=0 a) Recall that a point on a line satisfies the equation of the line.
Are the x-intercept and y-intercept points on the line?
b) When asked to determine the x-intercept, what coordinate
value do you always know? When asked to determine the
y-intercept, what coordinate value do you always know?
How can you use this information to help you determine
the x-intercept or y-intercept?
c) Describe strategies for determining the y-intercept and
x-intercept of a line if the equation is given in general form.
d) Create two linear equations. Then, identify the y-intercept
and x-intercept of each line. Use graphing technology to
check your answers.
8. What form is the equation x - 5 = 0 expressed in? Can you
write the equation in another form? Explain.

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 Link the Ideas
The general form of a linear equation is Ax + By + C = 0, where
A, B, and C are real numbers, and A and B are not both zero. By
convention, A is a whole number.
You can convert a linear equation from one form to another by
applying the rules of algebra.
The x-intercept of a line is the x-coordinate of the point where the
line crosses the x-axis. The y-intercept is the y-coordinate of the
point where the line crosses the y-axis. To sketch a linear equation,
you can draw a line joining the intercepts, (x, 0) and (0, y).
The line in the graph below has an x-intercept of 1 and a
y-intercept of 2.
y
(0, 2)
2

(1, 0)
-2 0 2 x

-2

Example 1 Convert an Equation to General Form

Rewrite the equation y = - _

2 x + 6 in general form, Ax + By + C = 0.
3
Solution

y = -_2x + 6
3
3(y) = 3 - _
2x + 6
( ) Why are both sides multiplied by 3?
3
3y = 3 - _
1
2 x + 3(6)
3 ( 1
)
3y = -2x + 18
2x + 3y - 18 = 0
The equation written in general form is 2x + 3y - 18 = 0.

Your Turn
Rewrite the equation y = _
3 x - 2 in general form.
4

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 Example 2 Sketch a Graph Using Intercepts
For the linear equation 2x - 3y - 6 = 0,
a) state the x-intercept of a graph of the equation
b) state the y-intercept
c) use the intercepts to graph the line

Solution
a) To determine the x-intercept, substitute y = 0. Then, solve for x.
2x - 3y - 6 = 0
2x - 3(0) - 6 = 0 Why do you substitute x = 0
to find the y-intercept?
2x - 6 = 0
2x = 6
x=3
The x-intercept is 3. So, the line crosses the x-axis at the point (3, 0).

b) To determine the y-intercept, substitute x = 0. Solve for y.

2x - 3y - 6 = 0
2(0) - 3y - 6 = 0 Why do you substitute y = 0
to find the x-intercept?
- 3y - 6 = 0
-6 = 0 + 3y
_
-6 = y
3
-2 = y
The y-intercept is -2. The line crosses the y-axis at the
point (0, -2).

c) Locate the points (3, 0) and (0, -2) on the grid. Then, draw a
line passing through these points.
y

(3, 0) How else could you

-4 -2 0 2 4 x graph an equation
given in general form?
-2
2x - 3y - 6 = 0 (0, -2)

-4

Your Turn
Consider the linear equation 4x + 5y - 20 = 0.
a) What is the x-intercept of a graph of the equation?
b) What is the y-intercept?
c) Use the intercepts to graph the line.

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 Example 3 Identify Intercepts of Horizontal or Vertical Lines
Sketch each linear relation and identify the intercepts.
Then, state the domain and range.
a) y - 3 = 0
b) x + 4.5 = 0
c) y = 0

Solution
a) The equation y - 3 = 0 can be written in slope-intercept
form as y = 0x + 3.
The graph is a horizontal line with slope zero.
The line crosses the y-axis at the point (0, 3).
y
(0, 3) 4
y-3=0

x What would the values in a table

-4 -2 0 2 4
representing this equation show?
-2

The y-intercept is 3. There is no x-intercept.

The domain of the line y - 3 = 0 is {x ∈ R}.
The range of the line is {3}.

b) The equation x + 4.5 = 0 expressed in general form

is x + 0y + 4.5 = 0. The coefficient of y is zero.
The value of x is always -4.5.
The graph is a vertical line and crosses the x-axis at (-4.5, 0).
y

4
x + 4.5 = 0

(-4.5, 0)
-4 -2 0 2 4 x

-2

-4

The x-intercept is -4.5. There is no y-intercept.

The domain of the line x + 4.5 = 0 is {-4.5}.
The range of the line is {y ∈ R}.

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 c) The equation y = 0 is a horizontal line, which represents the
entire x-axis. The graph always intersects the x-axis. Therefore,
there are an infinite number of x-intercepts. The y-intercept is 0.
The domain of the line y = 0 is {x ∈ R}.
The range of the line is {0}.
y

2
What do the coordinates
y=0
of points on this line
-4 -2 0 2 4 x have in common?
-2

Your Turn
Sketch each linear relation and identify the intercepts.
What are the domain and range for each relation?
a) x - 3 = 0
b) x = 0
c) y + 2 = 0

Example 4 Interpret Intercepts

Spencer has 66 GB of disk
space left on his laptop to fill
with television shows and
movies that he purchases
on-line.
a) Suppose a one-hour show
uses 1.1 GB of disk space
and a movie uses 4.4 GB.
Write a linear equation that
represents the number of
television shows, T, and movies, M, that Spencer can store
on his laptop.
b) Determine the T-intercept of a graph of the linear equation.
What does the T-intercept represent?
c) What would the M-intercept be? What does the M-intercept
represent?
d) If Spencer stores 16 television shows, how many movies
does he have space for?

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 Solution
a) The equation is 1.1T + 4.4M = 66. What does each term represent?
Simplify the equation.
How else could you
Write the coefficient of T as a whole number. reduce the original
11T + 44M = 660 equation to lowest
terms with the
Reduce the equation to lowest terms. coefficient of T as a
T + 4M = 60 whole number?

The equation T + 4M = 60 represents the number of television

shows and movies that Spencer can store on his laptop.

b) To determine the T-intercept, substitute M = 0. Solve for T.

T + 4M = 60
T + 4(0) = 60
T = 60
The T-intercept is 60. So, if Spencer stores no movies, he can
store 60 television shows.

c) To determine the M-intercept, substitute T = 0. Solve for M.

T + 4M = 60
0 + 4M = 60
M = 15
The M-intercept is 15. So, Spencer can store 15 movies if he
does not store any television shows.

d) Substitute T = 16 and solve for M.

T + 4M = 60
16 + 4M = 60
4M = 44
M = 11
Spencer has space on his laptop for 11 movies.

Your Turn
Brooke wants to save $336 to decorate her bedroom.
She has two part-time jobs. On weekends, she works
as a snowboard instructor and earns $12 per hour.
On weeknights, she earns $16 per hour working as
a high-school tutor.
a) Write an equation to represent the number of
hours Brooke needs to work as a snowboard
instructor, S, and as a tutor, T.
b) What is the S-intercept of a graph of the equation?
What does the S-intercept represent?
c) What would the T-intercept be? What does it
represent?
d) Suppose Brooke works 8 h as a snowboard instructor.
How many hours will she need to work as a tutor?

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 Key Ideas
• The general form of a linear equation is Ax + By + C = 0, where
A, B, and C are real numbers, and A and B are not both zero. By
convention, A is a whole number.
• To graph an equation in general form, determine the
intercepts, then draw a line joining the intercepts; or
convert to slope-intercept form.
• To determine the x-intercept, substitute y = 0 and solve.
To determine the y-intercept, substitute x = 0 and solve.
• A sketch of a linear relation may have one, two, or an infinite
number of intercepts. A line that represents an axis has an
infinite number of intercepts with that axis. A horizontal
or vertical line that does not represent an axis has only
one intercept.

Equation x-Intercept(s) y-Intercept(s) Graph

x + 2y - 3 = 0 x + 2y - 3 = 0 x + 2y - 3 = 0 y
4
x + 2(0) - 3 = 0 (0) + 2y - 3 = 0
x=3 2y = 3
2
y = 1.5 (0, 1.5)
(3, 0)
-2 0 2 4 x

-2

x = 5.3 x = 5.3 no y-intercept y

(5.3, 0)
0 2 4 6 x

3y = 0 infinite number 3y = 0 y
2
of x-intercepts y=0

-2 0 2 4 x

-2

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 Check Your Understanding
Practise
1. Jasmine was asked to convert the equation y = - x + 4 to
_3
2
general form. Her work is shown.
_3
y=- x+4
2
2y = -3x + 4
3x + 2y - 4 = 0
Identify Jasmine’s error. Then, correct her work.

2. Express each equation in general form, Ax + By + C = 0.

a) y = 7x - 5 b) y = -x + 8

c) y =
_3 x + 4 _3
d) y = - x - 2
2 5
e) y = 0.25x - 0.3 f) y=- x+_
_5 1
2 8
3. Determine the intercepts of each line. Then, graph the line.
a) 2x + y - 9 = 0 b) 4x - y - 8 = 0
c) x - 2y + 10 = 0 d) 3x - 8y - 24 = 0
e) 4x + 5y + 6 = 0 f) x = 4
g) y = 0 h) 4x - 12 = 0

4. For each line, state the domain, range, intercepts, and slope.
What is the equation of each line, in general form?
a) y b) y

4 4

2 2

-2 2 x -4 -2 0 x
0

-2 -2

-4 -4

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 5. Graph each line using the given intercepts. What is the equation
of each line?
a) an x-intercept of 3 and no y-intercept
b) a y-intercept of -5 and no x-intercept
c) an infinite number of x-intercepts
d) an infinite number of y-intercepts

6. Match each equation with a q w y e r

4
line labelled in the figure.
t
a) 3x + 4y = 12 2

b) x = 4
c) 3x - 4y = 12 -4 -2 0 2 4 x

d) y - 3 = 0 -2

e) 3x - 4y + 12 = 0 y
-4
f) y = -3 i u
g) 3x + 4y + 12 = 0
h) x + 4 = 0

Apply
7. Write an equation, in general form, for each line described.
a) a vertical line passing through the point (3, 5)
b) a horizontal line passing through the point (-2, 6)
c) the x-axis
d) the y-axis

8. Write an equation, in general form, of a line that does not have a

y-intercept and passes through the point (3, 6).

9. Having fibre in your diet helps with digestion, heart health, and
maintaining a healthy weight. Courtney wants to increase her
fibre intake by 21 g per day. She plans to do this by adding bran
buds and one vegetable to her diet each day. Write an equation
in general form that describes this situation. Courtney mixes
125 mL of bran buds in her cereal each day. What volume of
green peas would she need to eat during the day? What volume
of baked beans would she need to eat? Express your answers in
whole millilitres.
Food Grams of Fibre per 125 mL
Green peas 4
Baked beans 7
Bran buds 16

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 10. An airplane flies directly from Saskatoon, SK, to Vancouver, BC.
The graph shows the relationship between the distance from
Vancouver, d, in kilometres, and the flying time, t, in hours.
Distance From Vancouver (km) d Saskatoon to Vancouver Flight
1200

800

400

0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 t

Time (h)

a) State the intercepts of the line segment. What does each

intercept represent?
b) State a suitable domain and range of the graph.
c) Determine the slope of the line. What does the slope represent?
d) Write the equation of the line in general form.
e) For how many hours has the plane been flying when it is
200 km from Vancouver?
f) What is the distance from Vancouver when the plane has been
flying for 45 min?

11. Luc swims as part of an active and healthy lifestyle. The number
of calories burned by a swimmer of Luc’s body weight is shown
in the table.
Swimming Style Calories Burned Per Minute
Backstroke 8
Butterfly 11

a) Write a linear equation to describe

e
the number of minutes Luc would d
need to swim backstroke, x, and
butterfly, y, to burn 440 cal.
b) What are the intercepts of the
line? What does each intercept
represent?
c) Suppose Luc swims butterfly for
16 min. How long will he need
to swim backstroke in order to
burn 440 cal in total?

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 12. Sanding trucks spread a mixture of sand and salt on roads to
improve traction in winter. The density of the salt is 1200 kg/m3.
The density of the sand is 1800 kg/m3.
a) Write a linear equation to represent the volume, in cubic
metres, of salt, x, and of sand, y, in a mixture with a mass
of 10 000 kg.
b) For temperatures below -12 °C, the volume of sand in
10 000 kg of the mixture is 5.22 m3. What is the volume
of salt in the mixture?
c) By mass, what percent of the mixture is salt?

13. Advance tickets for a local concert sold for $8

each. Tickets at the door were $12 each. The
revenue from ticket sales was $1120.
a) Write a linear equation
relating the number of
advance tickets, a, to the
number of tickets sold at
the door, d. Express your
equation in general form.
b) Describe the steps you would
follow to graph this equation.
Do not graph.
c) Suppose twice as many advance
tickets were sold as tickets at the door.
How many of each type of ticket were sold?

14. What is the value of the unknown parameter in each

equation?
a) Ax + 5y - 6 = 0, passing through (-3, 2)
b) 2x + By + 7 = 0, passing through (4, -5)
c) 4x - 3y + C = 0, passing through (-2, -6)

Extend
15. The equation of a line is x + 3y - 24 = 0. Write the coordinates
of a point on the line for each of the following conditions.
a) The x-coordinate is equal to the y-coordinate.
b) The x-coordinate is three times as great as the y-coordinate.
c) The y-coordinate is four greater than the x-coordinate.

16. The equation 6x + By + 5 = 0 describes a line with a slope of

_3 .
2
What is the value of B?

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 17. What is the area of the triangle bounded by each set of lines?
a) the line x + 2y = 10, a line with an infinite number of
x-intercepts, and a line with an infinite number of y-intercepts
b) a line with an infinite number of x-intercepts, the line
2x - y = 6, and the line x = 10

Create Connections
18. a) Which form of a linear equation do you prefer to graph:
y = mx + b or Ax + By + C = 0? Why?
b) Describe a situation when you might work with a linear
equation in the other form.

19. The equation of a line is 2x + y - 8 = 0.

a) Explain how you could determine the x-intercept.
b) Explain two different ways to determine the y-intercept.

20. The general form of an equation is Ax + By + C = 0. Identify

each line as horizontal, vertical, or oblique.
a) A ≠ 0, B = 0, and C is a real number.
b) A = 0, B ≠ 0, and C is a real number.
c) A ≠ 0, B ≠ 0, and C is a real number.

21. MINI LAB Explore the effects of changing parameters on a graph Materials
of Ax + By + C = 0. • graphing technology or
grid paper and ruler
Step 1 For each group of equations, graph the three linear
relations on the same axes. Use graphing technology or
sketch the graphs by hand.
a) x + y - 2 = 0 b) x + 2y - 6 = 0
x+y-6=0 2x + 2y - 6 = 0
x+y-8=0 3x + 2y - 6 = 0
c) 2x + y - 6 = 0 d) x + y - 2 = 0
2x + 2y - 6 = 0 2x + 2y - 4 = 0
2x + 3y - 6 = 0 3x + 3y - 6 = 0

Step 2 Compare the three graphs in each group of equations.

What parameter(s) have changed? Explain how changing
one or two parameters affects the slope, x-intercept, and
y-intercept of the graph.
Step 3 How does changing the parameters A, B, and C affect
the graph of a linear equation in general form?

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 7.3 Slope-Point Form

Focus on …
• writing the equation of
a line from its slope and
a point on the line
• converting equations
among the various
forms
• writing the equation of
a line from two points
You can measure the length of an arena with a ruler, use scissors to
on the line
cut your grass, or loosen a screw with a paperclip. All of these are
• solving problems
possible, but are they using the best tool for the job? In mathematics
involving equations in
slope-point form and in life, using an inappropriate tool may prevent you from
completing your task or make it take longer to finish. You have
explored tools for writing linear relations in two forms. This section
introduces a third form, slope-point form. Each form is best suited to
certain situations.

Materials Investigate Equations in Slope-Point Form

• grid paper
• ruler 1. Square ABCD in Figure 1 is a composite of four different
polygons. The lengths of the sides are shown. What is the area
of square ABCD?
y

B 5 3 C

5 5

3 3
A
8 D x

Figure 1

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 2. Square ABCD is reassembled to form rectangle EFGH, shown in
Figure 2. What is the area of rectangle EFGH?
y

F 5 8 G

3
5 5
3

E 8 5 H x

Figure 2

3. There is a discrepancy between the areas of the quadrilaterals

shown in Figures 1 and 2. How is Figure 2 deceiving? Justify
your answer.

4. On grid paper, draw a line that does not pass through the
origin. Label points J, K, and L on the line. Determine the
slope of your line.
a) Determine the equation of your line using point J and the
slope-intercept form, y = mx + b.
b) Use points K and L to determine equations of your line.
Compare your equations.

5. Let P(x1, y1) represent a point on a line. Develop an equation If you know one point on
a line, how can you use
of the line with slope m using point P.
the slope to determine a
second point?
6. Work with a partner. Have your partner test the equation you
developed using his or her line from step 4.

7. Reflect and Respond Describe how to determine the equation

of a line using the slope and a point on the line.

8. Show how the slope-point form of a linear equation can be slope-point form

developed by using the slope formula, m = __

y2 - y1 • the equation of a non-
x2 - x1 . vertical line in the form
y - y1 = m(x - x1),
9. What type of line cannot be written in slope-point form? Why? where m is the slope
and (x1, y1) are the
10. Is the following statement always true, sometimes true, or coordinates of a point
never true? Explain. “To determine the equation of a non- on the line
vertical line in slope-point form, you can use the coordinates
of any point on the line.”

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 Link the Ideas
The slope of a non-vertical line can be determined using m = _
Δy
.
Δx
If (x1, y1) is one point on the line, then (x, y) could represent any
other point on the line. Substitute the coordinates of these two
points into the slope formula, m = __
y2 - y1
x2 - x1 .
The slope of the line could be written as m = __
y - y1
x - x1 .
y
(x, y)

y - y1
(x1, y1)
x - x1
0 x

Multiplying both sides of the above equation by (x - x1) gives

(x - x1)m = (x - x1) __
y - y1
x - x1 ( )
(x - x1)m = (x - x1) __
y - y1
1
x - x1 ( 1
)
m(x - x1) = y - y1
This equation is called the slope-point form of a non-vertical line
through point (x1, y1) with slope m.
The slope-point form is commonly written as y - y1 = m(x - x1).

Example 1 Write the Equation of a Line Using a Point and

the Slope
a) Use slope-point form to write an equation of the line through
(-2, 5) with slope -3.
b) Express the equation in slope-intercept form, y = mx + b.
c) Graph the linear relation using technology.

Solution
a) Substitute -3 for m and the coordinates of the point (-2, 5)
for (x1, y1).
y - y1 = m(x - x1)
y - (5) = -3(x - (-2))
y - 5 = -3(x + 2)
The equation in slope-point form is y - 5 = -3(x + 2).

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 b) To express the equation in slope-intercept form, isolate y.
y - 5 = -3(x + 2) The equation
y = -3(x + 2) + 5 y = -3x - 1 is written in
y = -3x - 6 + 5 the form y = mx + b. So,
y = -3x - 1 the slope is -3. This is
In slope-intercept form, the equation is y = -3x - 1. consistent with the value
given in the question.
c) What strategies could
you use to sketch
the graph?

Your Turn
a) Use slope-point form to write an equation of the line
through (3, -4) with slope 2. Sketch a graph of the line.
b) Express the equation in slope-intercept form, y = mx + b.
Sketch a graph of this line.
c) Compare your graphs.

Example 2 Determine the Equation of a Line Using Two Points

a) Use slope-point form to write an equation of the line through
(3, -4) and (5, -1).
b) Sketch a graph of the line.
c) Rewrite the equation in general form, Ax + By + C = 0.

Solution
a) Points on the line are given. So, you need to determine
the slope. Use the two given points, (3, -4) and (5, -1).
m = __
y2 - y1
x2 - x 1
m = __
-1 - (-4)
5-3
m= __
-1 + 4
5-3
m= _
3
2

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 In slope-point form, substitute _3 for m and the coordinates of
2
either point (3, -4) or (5, -1) for (x1, y1).

Using (3, -4) for (x1, y1), Using (5, -1) for (x1, y1),
y - y1 = m(x - x1) y - y1 = m(x - x1) How can

y - (-4) = _ y - (-1) = _
3 (x - 3) 3 (x - 5) you verify
that these
2 2
y+4=_ y+1=_
equations are
3 (x - 3) 3 (x - 5)
equivalent?
2 2

Both y + 4 = _3 (x - 3) and y + 1 = _3 (x - 5) are slope-point

2 2
forms of the equation of the line through (3, -4) and (5, -1).

b) y

0 2 4 6 8 x
(5, -1)
-2

-4
(3, -4)

c) Express y + 4 = _3 (x - 3) in Express y + 1 = _ 3 (x - 5) in
2 2
general form. general form.
y+4=_ 3 (x - 3) y+1=_ 3 (x - 5)
2 2
2(y + 4) = 2 _ 2(y + 1) = 2 _
1
1
3 (x - 3) 3 (x - 5)
2( ) (
2
1
)
1
2y + 8 = 3(x - 3) 2(y + 1) = 3(x - 5)
2y + 8 = 3x - 9 2y + 2 = 3x - 15
0 = 3x - 9 - 2y - 8 0 = 3x - 2y - 17
0 = 3x - 2y - 17

The equation, in general form, for the line through (3, -4) and
(5, -1) is 3x - 2y - 17 = 0.

Your Turn
Use slope-point form to write an equation of the line through
(-5, 2) and (-2, 1). Explain your steps. Then, write the equation
in general form, Ax + By + C = 0.

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 Example 3 Model a Real-Life Situation
Brad Zdanivsky is enthusiastic about mountain climbing. He is a Web Link
quadriplegic and used custom gear as he climbed the Stawamus To learn more about
Chief in Squamish, BC, on July 31, 2005. mountain climbing, go to
www.mhrmath10.ca and
Supposed he moved at a constant rate and climbed the 660-m follow the links.
summit in 11 pitches (sections). Each pitch was approximately
60 m in height. At 5:45 a.m., Brad started his climb 60 m below
the top of his first pitch. By 5:55 a.m., he was 40 m below the
top of the first pitch.
a) Write an equation that describes Brad’s distance, d,
in metres, below the top of the first pitch in terms
of t minutes past 5:45 a.m. Express the equation in
y = mx + b form.
b) How long did it take Brad to reach the top of the
first pitch?
c) In total, Brad spent 8.5 h changing ropes between
pitches. How long did it take Brad to climb
the Stawamus Chief?

Solution
a) Brad was 60 m below the top of his first pitch at 0 min
past 5:45 a.m. After 10 min, he was 40 m below the
top of his first pitch. As coordinate pairs (t, d), the data
may be represented as (0, 60) and (10, 40). Use these
points to determine the slope of the line.

m = __
d2 - d1
t2 - t1 m=
__
60 - 40
0 - 10
m = __60 - 40
m=
_20
0 - 10 -10
m = -2 m = -2

Brad’s distance to the top of the pitch was decreasing

at a rate of 2 m/min.
Substitute the slope, -2, and the coordinates of either
point (0, 60) or (10, 40) into the slope-point form of an
equation.
Using point (0, 60),
d - d1 = m(t - t1)
d - 60 = -2(t - 0)
d - 60 = -2t
d = -2t + 60 How could you verify your equation?
In slope-intercept form, the equation d = -2t + 60
represents Brad’s distance below the first pitch.

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 b) At the top of the first pitch, d = 0. Determine t.
d = -2t + 60
0 = -2t + 60
2t = 60
t = 30
It took Brad 30 min or 0.5 h to reach the top of the first pitch.

c) To climb the 11 pitches, it took Brad 11(0.5 h) = 5.5 h.

Adding 8.5 h to change ropes, it took Brad 14 h to climb
the Stawamus Chief.

Your Turn
A family drives at a constant speed Wrigley
from Wrigley, NT, to visit relatives in Fort
Providence, NT. When they start driving at
9:00 a.m., they are 540 km from Fort Fort Simpson
Providence. At 12:30 p.m., they reach Fort Fort Providence
Simpson, located 225 km from Fort
Providence.
a) Write an equation that describes their distance, d, in kilometres,
from Fort Providence in terms of t hours past 9:00 a.m.
b) What time will the family reach Fort Providence?

Key Ideas
• For a non-vertical line through the point (x1, y1) with slope m,
the equation of the line can be written in slope-point form as
y - y1 = m(x - x1).
y
A line through (-2, 5) has a slope of 3.
(-2, 5)
The slope-point form of the equation 3
4

of this line is
2
y - y1 = m(x - x1) 1
y - 5 = 3(x - (-2))
x
y - 5 = 3(x + 2) -4 -2 0

-2

• An equation written in slope-point form can be converted

to either slope-intercept form or general form.
• Any point on a line can be used when determining the
equation of the line in slope-point form.

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 Check Your Understanding
Practise
1. Rewrite each equation from slope-point form to slope-intercept
form, y = mx + b, and general form, Ax + By + C = 0.
a) y + 3 = x - 5 b) y + 4 = 2(x + 3)
c) y - 6 = 4(x + 1) d) y + 2 = -5(x + 3)
_1
e) y - 3 = - (x + 8) f) y + 9 = - (x - 6)
_2
2 3
2. Write an equation in slope-point form, y - y1 = m(x - x1), of
each line passing through the given point.
a) y b) y

4 4

2
(3, 2) 2

-2 0 2 4 x -4 -2 0 2 x

-2 -2
(1, -3)
-4 -4

c) y d) y

2 4

(-4, 2)
2
-6 -4 -2 0 x
(-4, -2)
-2
-4 -2 0 2 x

-4 -2

3. Determine the equation of each line using slope-point form.

Then, express each equation in slope-intercept form and in
general form.
a) (5, -2), m = 6 b) (-3, -5), m = -2

c) (-8, 3), m =
_1 d) (12, -6), m = -
_2
2 3

4. Consider the line represented by y - 1 =

_2 (x - 6).
3
a) Identify the slope and a point on the line.
b) Explain how you could sketch the graph of the line using
the slope and a point on the line.

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 5. Write an equation in slope-point form, y - y1 = m(x - x1), of the
line passing through the given points.
a) y b) y
(2, 5)
4 4
(-3, 4)

2 2

(1, 1)
-2 0 2 4 x -4 -2 0 x

-2 -2
(-1, -2)

-4 -4

c) y d) y

4 4

(-4, 3)
2 2
(-2, 2) (3, 1)

-4 -2 0 2 x 0 2 4 x
(0, -1)
-2 -2

-4 -4

6. Use slope-point form to write an equation of a line through each

pair of points. Express each equation in the form y = mx + b and
in the form Ax + By + C = 0.
a) (5, 1) and (3, -7) b) (5, -8) and (1, 4)
c) (4, 5) and (2, 6) d) (8, -3) and (4, -6)
e) (5, -1) and (3, -4) f) (3, 6) and (-1, 0)

7. Terry’s teacher writes the following on the board:

The four equations listed represent only two different lines.

Which equations represent the same line?
1 y - 2 = 3(x + 1)
2 y - 10 = 3(x - 4)
3 y + 5 = 3(x + 1)
4 y - 11 = 3(x - 2)

a) Describe possible strategies students could use to answer the

question.
b) Which equations represent the same line? Justify your answers.

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 Apply
8. Identify the slope and a point on each line. Sketch a graph of
each line. Use graphing technology to check your graphs.
a) y - 3 = 2(x - 1) b) y + 2 = -3x
_1
c) y - 4 = (x + 1)
_4
d) y + 6 = - (x - 2)
2 5
9. Consider the line passing through the points (-4, 2) and (-2, 6).
a) Work with a partner to develop at least two different strategies
for determining the y-intercept of the line.
b) What is the y-intercept of the line?

10. A line passes through (0, 1) and (3, 7).

a) Using only slope-intercept form, y = mx + b, write the
equation of this line.
b) Determine the equation of the line using only slope-point form.
c) Compare the two equations graphically.

11. Write the equation of each line using slope-point form. Then,
convert to slope-intercept form.
a) slope of 0 and through (4, -5)
b) same slope as 3x + y = 5 and through (-2, 4)
c) same slope as the line x - 2y + 6 = 0 and the same x-intercept
as the line 3x - 2y = 24
d) same y-intercept as x + 4y = 8 and through (3, -4)

12. What is the equation of each line in slope-point form? Convert

each equation to general form.
a) slope of 3 and x-intercept of 4
b) same slope as y = -4x + 5 and through (2, -1)
c) same x-intercept as the line 3x + y = 12 and through (0, 2) Did You Know?
d) x-intercept of 2 and y-intercept of -6
Oil pumpjacks are
common in western
13. An “iron horse” pumpjack starts to pump
Canada. They are a
crude oil into a tank at a constant rate of traditional method
1.2 m3/h. After 24 h, the tank contains of oil recovery. The
29 m3 of oil. surface deposits of the
Athabasca Oil Sands in
a) Write an equation that describes the
present day northern
volume, V, in cubic metres, of oil in the Alberta were once used
tank after t hours. by the Cree and Dene
b) The tank can hold a maximum of 155 m3 of oil. How long will peoples to waterproof
their canoes and other
it take to fill the tank?
items.
c) Was the tank empty before it started filling? Explain.

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 14. The graph shows the linear V Sound Velocity
relationship between the
345
velocity of sound, V, in
metres per second, and the 340
(16, 341)

Velocity (m/s)
temperature, t, in degrees
Celsius, of dry air. At 6 °C, the 335
(6, 335)
velocity of sound is 335 m/s.
At 16 °C, it is 341 m/s. 330

a) What is the slope of the line?

0 5 10 15 20 t
b) What rate of change does the
Temperature (°C)
slope represent?
c) What is the equation of the line?
d) Determine the velocity of sound at 35 °C.
e) What is the air temperature when the velocity of sound is
348 m/s?

15. What is the y-intercept of a line with a slope of

_1 and an
2
x-intercept of 4?

16. Determine the x-intercept of a line through (3, 4) having a

y-intercept of 2.

17. Suppose Canada’s population has grown steadily since 2000. In

2001, the population was 30.0 million. In 2009, it was 33.7 million.
a) Let t represent the number of years since 2000. Let p represent
the population of Canada in millions. Write the coordinates of
two points in the form (t, p).
b) Determine the slope of the line through the points.
c) What rate does the slope represent?
d) Write an equation to represent population growth in Canada
since 2000.
Web Link e) Predict Canada’s population in 2017.
To learn more about the
components of population
growth in parts of Canada,
go to www.mhrmath10.ca
and follow the links.

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 18. Suppose your friend’s dinner tonight consists of one steak and
Did You Know?
mini potatoes. The steak has approximately 30 g of protein. The
nutrition facts label shows the number of grams of protein per In Canada, potato
production is a multi-
number of mini potatoes.
million-dollar industry.
a) Write an equation relating the protein, p, in the meal to the Manitoba produces the
number of potatoes, n, eaten. Use the data in the nutrition second greatest amount
facts label. of potatoes in Canada.

b) What is the slope of the line? What does the slope represent?
c) What is the p-intercept of the line? Why is the p-intercept
not zero?
d) Suggest a reasonable domain and range for the graph.

Extend
19. Write the equation of a line with an x-intercept of n and a slope
of m.
20. A line passes through the point of intersection of the lines

y = -_ 1 x - 6 and y = 2x + 4. Determine the equation of the line

2
if it has a slope of _
1.
2

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 Create Connections
21. How can you develop the slope-intercept form, y = mx + b, by
substituting a point into y - y1 = m(x - x1)?

22. To determine the equation of a line in slope-point form, you need

to know two pieces of information about the line. List three sets
of information that would allow you to determine the equation of
a line.

23. To solve a particular problem you may want to write a linear

equation in one of the three forms. You may wish to use slope-
intercept form, y = mx + b; general form, Ax + By + C = 0; or
slope-point form, y - y1 = m(x - x1). Create a visual that helps
you decide which form you should start with.

Materials 24. MINI LAB Paleontologists can predict the

Unit Project
• SI measuring tape anatomy of humans and animals based on skeletal remains.
• grid paper
• ruler

Step 1 Work with a partner of the same gender as yourself.

Measure and record the length of each other’s humerus
bone. It runs from the shoulder to the elbow. Measure
and record each other’s height without shoes.
Step 2 Collect and share your data with other students of the
same gender. Record all data. Use grid paper to plot the
data as coordinate pairs. Label the axes and scale used.
Step 3 Draw a straight line that represents the data. What is the
equation of this line?
Step 4 Measure the humerus bone of a teacher of the same
gender as you. Use your equation to predict the height
of the teacher. Compare the teacher’s actual height with
your predicted height.

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 7.4 Parallel and Perpendicular Lines

Controlling the movement of your body

is important when you play sports or
exercise. The words parallel and
perpendicular describe the position of
one thing relative to another. Athletes
may need to visualize parallel and
perpendicular lines to help them improve
their performance. For example,
Focus on …
• identifying whether • A football coach may instruct quarter-
two lines are parallel, backs to position their shoulders perpen-
perpendicular, or neither dicular to the target at which they are
• writing the equation throwing the ball.
of a line using the • The gymnast in the photo has trained
coordinates of a point
hard to keep her legs parallel to her arms.
on the line and the
equation of a parallel
or perpendicular line
• solving problems
involving parallel and
perpendicular lines

Materials Investigate Slopes of Parallel and

• two sheets of identical
grid paper Perpendicular Lines
• scissors 1. On a sheet of grid paper, y C
• ruler
create a coordinate system by
6
drawing and labelling an x-axis
and a y-axis. From another D 4
sheet of grid paper, cut out B
the following three shapes: 2 (4, 3)

• a square with side length of A

5 units -4 -2 0 (0, 0) 2 4 x
• a square with side length of -2
13 units
• a rectangle with side lengths -4
that are whole units. Draw a
diagonal across the rectangle.

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 2. For the smaller square, label the vertices A, B, C, and D in a
counterclockwise direction. Position the square so that point A
is at (0, 0) and point B is at (4, 3). What are the coordinates of
vertices C and D? Determine the slope of each side. Compare
the slopes of the opposite sides and the adjacent sides.

3. Repeat step 2 using the larger square. Position the square with
point A at (0, 0) and B at (12, 5).

4. Position the rectangle on your coordinate system. Determine

the slope of each side. Hint: Line up the vertices with the
integer coordinates of the grid. Compare the slopes.

5. Compare the slopes of the diagonals formed by rotating the

rectangle 90° about one vertex. Discuss your results with
a classmate.
y

fixed vertex
-2 0 2 4 6 x

-2

6. Reflect and Respond How are the slopes of parallel sides

related? Explain using an example.

7. How are the slopes of perpendicular sides related? Explain

using an example.

8. a) How are the slopes of vertical sides related?

b) How are the slopes of a vertical and a horizontal
side related?

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 Link the Ideas
Parallel lines have the same slope but different intercepts. This parallel lines
includes horizontal lines, which have a slope of zero. Vertical • lines in the same plane
lines, which have an undefined slope, are also parallel. that do not intersect
• lines that have the
y L1 L2 L1 y L2 same slope but
different intercepts
4 4

2 2

-4 -2 0 2 4 x -4 -2 0 2 4 x

-2 -2
m1 is m2 is
m1 = 2 m2 = 2 undefined. undefined.
-4 -4

m1 = m2 m1 and m2 are undefined.

The slopes of perpendicular lines are negative reciprocals of perpendicular lines

each other. The product of negative reciprocals is -1. A vertical • two lines that intersect
line, which has an undefined slope, and a horizontal line, which at right angles (90°)
has a slope of 0, are perpendicular to each other. • lines that have slopes
that are negative
y y L2 reciprocals of each
L2 L1
1 other.
m2 = – – 4
m2 is
2 4
m1 = 2 undefined.

2 2
L1 m1 = 0

x -4 -2 0 2 4 x
-4 -2 0 2 4

-2 -2

-4 -4

1 m1 = 0 and m2 is undefined.
( )
m1(m2) = 2 – –
2
m1(m2) = –1

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 Example 1 Identify Parallel and Perpendicular Lines
State whether the lines in each pair are parallel, perpendicular,
or neither.
a) y = 3x - 6 b) y = 4x + 3 c) y = 2x + 6
_
1
y=- x+4 y = 4x - 5 6x + 3y + 3 = 0
3

Solution
a) The slope of the line y = 3x - 6 is 3. How can you verify

The slope of the line y = - _1 x + 4 is - _

1. that two values are
3 3 negative reciprocals

Since the slopes, 3 and - _

1 , are negative of each other?
3
reciprocals, the lines are perpendicular.

b) The slope of the line y = 4x + 3 is 4. The slope of the line

y = 4x - 5 is also 4. The slopes are equal. So, the lines
are parallel.
How do you know the
lines are not equivalent?

c) The slope of line y = 2x + 6 is 2. To determine the slope

of the line 6x + 3y + 3 = 0, rewrite the equation in
slope-intercept form, y = mx + b.
6x + 3y + 3 = 0
3y + 3 = -6x
_3y
= __
-6x - 3
3 3
y = -2x - 1
The slope of the line
y = -2x - 1 is -2. The
slopes 2 and -2 are not
equal and they are not
negative reciprocals.
Therefore, the two lines are
neither parallel nor
perpendicular.

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 Your Turn
Determine whether the lines in each pair are parallel,
perpendicular, or neither.
_1
a) y = x - 7 b) y = 3x - 4
_2
c) y = x - 6
2 5
y = 2x - 7 y = 3x + _
1 5x + 2y = 8
4

Example 2 Write an Equation Involving a Parallel Line

a) Write the equation of a line that is parallel to 2x - y + 4 = 0
and through (1, -6). Express the equation in slope-intercept
form.
b) Write the equation in general form.
c) Use technology to verify that the lines are parallel.

Solution
a) The slope of the line will be equal to the slope of 2x - y + 4 = 0.
To find the slope, convert 2x - y + 4 = 0 to slope-intercept
form, y = mx + b.
2x - y + 4 = 0
2x - y + 4 + y = 0 + y
2x + 4 = y or y = 2x + 4
The slope of the line y = 2x + 4 is 2.
Method 1: Use Slope-Point Form
Substitute 2 for m and the coordinates of the point (1, -6)
for (x1, y1).
y - y1 = m(x - x1)
y - (-6) = 2(x - 1)
y + 6 = 2(x - 1)
To convert to slope-intercept form, isolate y.
y + 6 = 2(x - 1)
y + 6 = 2x - 2
y = 2x - 2 - 6
y = 2x - 8
The equation of the line, in slope-intercept form, is y = 2x - 8.

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 Method 2: Use Slope-Intercept Form
The point (1, -6) lies on the line, so the coordinates must satisfy
the equation of the line. Substitute 2 for m and the coordinates
(1, -6) for (x, y). Then, determine the y-intercept and rewrite
the equation.
y = mx + b
-6 = 2(1) + b
-6 - 2 = b
-8 = b
Substitute the values for m and b into y = mx + b.
y = 2x + (-8)
y = 2x - 8
The slope-intercept form of the equation is y = 2x - 8.

b) Convert the slope-point equation to general form.

y + 6 = 2(x - 1)
y + 6 - (y + 6) = 2(x - 1) - (y + 6)
0 = 2x - 2 - y - 6
0 = 2x - y - 8
The equation of the line, in general form, is 2x - y - 8 = 0.

c) The graph to the right

shows the original line and
the new line, represented by
their equations in slope-
interecept form.
The equation of original line
is y = 2x + 4
The equation of original line
is y = 2x - 8.
The slope-intercept form of the lines and the graph both show
that the slopes of the lines are the same, but the y-intercepts are
different. Therefore the lines are parallel.

Your Turn
Write the equation of a line that is parallel to 3x + y + 3 = 0 and
passes through (5, -6). Express the equation in slope-intercept
form and in general form. Use technology to verify that the lines
are parallel.

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 Example 3 Write an Equation Involving a Perpendicular Line
Write the equation of a line perpendicular to 3x + 2y - 6 = 0 with
an x-intercept of 9. Express the equation in slope-intercept form
and in general form.

Solution
To determine the slope of 3x + 2y - 6 = 0, rewrite the equation in
slope-intercept form.
3x + 2y - 6 = 0
The reciprocal of
2y = -3x + 6
- _ is - _
y = -_
3 2 . So, the
3x + 3 2 3
2 negative reciprocal is
The slope of the line y = - _3 x + 3 is - _
3.
- -_ 2 or _ 2
2 2 ( )3 3
.

The negative reciprocal of - _3 is _

2.
2 3
Therefore, the slope of a line perpendicular to the given line is _ 2.
3
Substitute _2 for m and the coordinates of the point (9, 0) for (x , y )
3 1 1

into the slope-point form of an equation.

y - y1 = m(x - x1) How else could you find
_
2
y - 0 = (x - 9)
the equation of the line?
3
y=_ 2 (x - 9)
3
For slope-intercept form, y = mx + b, expand the
slope-point equation.
y=_ 2 (x - 9)
3
y=_ 2 x - 93 _
2
( )
3 3
_
2
y= x-6
1

3
For general form, Ax + By + C = 0, rearrange the
slope-intercept equation.
y=_ 2x - 6 What other equation could you
3 use to convert to general form?
3y = 2x - 18 Why might some people choose
0 = 2x - 3y - 18 to use that equation in this solution?

The equation of a line perpendicular to 3x + 2y - 6 = 0 with an

x-intercept of 9 is y = _
2 x - 6 in slope-intercept form. Written in
3
general form, the equation is 2x - 3y - 18 = 0.

Your Turn
A line is perpendicular to 4x + y - 12 = 0 and passes through
(8, -6). Write the equation of the line in either slope-intercept
form or general form.

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 Key Ideas
• Parallel lines have the same slope and different intercepts.
Vertical lines are parallel to each other, as are horizontal lines, if
they have different intercepts.
• Perpendicular lines have slopes that are negative reciprocals
of each other. A vertical line with an undefined slope and a
horizontal line with a slope of zero are also perpendicular.
• The properties of parallel and perpendicular lines can give
information about the slopes. Knowing the slopes can help you
develop an equation.
A line perpendicular to y = 5x + 7 has the same y-intercept.
The line y = 5x + 7 has a slope of 5 and a y-intercept of 7.
The perpendicular line has a slope of - _
1 and a y-intercept
5
of 7. So, the equation of the perpendicular line is y = - _
1 x + 7.
5
y

8 1
y = -– x + 7
(0, 7) 5
6

y = 5x + 7
2

-6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 x

-2

Check Your Understanding

Practise
1. For a line with each slope, state the slope of a line parallel
to it. What is the slope of a line perpendicular to it?
a) m = 5 b) m = -7

c) m = -
_1 d) m =
_6
3 7
e) m = 0.5 f) m = -0.75
g) m = 0 h) m is undefined.

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 2. State the slopes of lines that are parallel and lines that are
perpendicular to each linear equation.
_3
a) y = x + 4
7
b) y = -x + 9
c) 3x + y - 5 = 0
d) 2x + y + 11 = 0
e) 3x - 2y + 6 = 0
f) 5x + 4y - 20 = 0
g) y = 7
h) x + 3 = 0

3. Consider the line joining points P(-6, 9) and Q(-2, 1).

a) What is the slope of a line parallel to this line?
b) What is the slope of a line perpendicular to this one?

4. For each pair of slopes, what is the value of n if the lines are
parallel? What is the value of n if the lines are perpendicular?
a)
_
n,2 b)
_
24 , - _
1
10 n 3
c)
_
3 , _
n _
3
d) , -
_7
2 9 n 2
5. Identify whether each pair of lines is parallel, perpendicular, or
neither. Explain how you know.
a) y = -6x b) y =
_1 x + 3
5
y = 6x + 1 y = -5x - 4
c) y = -x + 8
_3
d) y = x + 5
4
x+y=2 4x + 3y = 6
e) 5x + 2y - 10 = 0 f) 3x - 4y - 24 = 0
2x + 5y + 10 = 0 4x + 3y - 12 = 0

6. Write an equation of a line that is parallel to each line and passes

through the given point.
a) y = 2x + 5, (1, -6)
b) y = -3x + 7, (-2, 5)
c) 5x + y - 1 = 0, (3, -8)
d) 6x - 2y + 10 = 0, (3, -5)
e) y = 8, (3, 4)
f) x - 5 = 0, (-1, -8)

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 7. Write an equation of a line that passes through each point and is
perpendicular to each line.
a) y = 3x + 5, (9, 5)
b) y = -4x + 7, (-12, -7)
c) x + 3y + 4 = 0, (5, -9)
d) 4x - 3y - 6 = 0, (-2, -1)
e) x - 2 = 0, (-3, 7)
f) y = -5, (4, -6)

Apply
8. Sheldon was asked if line segment AB with A(-9, 2) and B(-3, 4)
is parallel to line segment CD with C(-7, -7) and D(1, -3). He
sketches a graph of the two line segments and concludes that they
appear parallel.
a) Is it correct to assume from a sketch that the two line
segments are parallel? Explain.
b) How could you prove that two lines segments are parallel?
c) Is line segment AB parallel to line segment CD? Justify
your answer.

9. Is quadrilateral ABCD with vertices A(-4, 5), B(3, 3), C(5, -3),
and D(-2, -1) a parallelogram? Justify your answer. Hint: A
parallelogram is a quadrilateral with opposite sides parallel.

A(-4, 5) y

4
B(3, 3)

-4 -2 0 2 4 x
D(-2, -1)
-2

C(5, -3)
-4

10. Write the general form equation, Ax + By + C = 0, of a line

that passes through (7, 5) and is
a) parallel to the x-axis
b) perpendicular to the x-axis

11. Line L1 passes through points P(n, 4) and Q(1, -2). Line L2
passes through points R(4, 3) and S(1, 5).
a) What is the value of n if the lines are parallel?
b) If the lines are perpendicular, what is the value of n?

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 12. Prove that ABC with vertices A(-3, 5), B(4, 7), and C(-1, -2) is
a right triangle.

13. Determine an equation representing each line.

a) parallel to 5x + y + 4 = 0 with a y-intercept of -6
b) perpendicular to x + 5y - 10 = 0 with the same y-intercept
as y = 4x - 3
c) perpendicular to 5x + 4y - 2 = 0 with the same x-intercept
as 3x - 5y = 15

14. Triangle ABC has vertices A(-2, 1), B(2, 3), and C(4, -2). Write
Did You Know?
the equation of the line containing the altitude from point B to
side AC. An altitude is a line
segment drawn from a
y
vertex perpendicular to
4 the opposite side.
B (2, 3)

2
A (-2, 1) altitude

-4 -2 0 2 4 x

-2
C (4, -2)

-4

15. The line through (5, n) and (1, -2) is parallel to the line
3x + 2y - 1 = 0. What is the value of n?

16. The centre of a circle is located at C(-4, -2) on a coordinate

Did You Know?
grid. Write the equation of a tangent at point T(5, 1).
A tangent is a line
that touches a circle
at exactly one point. It
is perpendicular to the
tangent radius at that point.

T (5, 1)

C (-4, -2)

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 17. You can monitor your heart rate
while you exercise. The Karvonen
formula states that the target heart
rate during an aerobic workout
should be between H = 0.7(220 - A)
and H = 0.8(220 - A). In the
equations, H represents your target
heart rate and A represents your
age. Predict whether a graph of
these equations would show
parallel lines. Justify your answer.

18. In 1982, the French-Canadian Association of Alberta adopted

the Franco-Albertan flag. Suppose a coordinate grid is laid over
a replica of the flag, with the base along the x-axis and the lower
left corner of the flag at the origin. The three parallel lines in the
flag pass through the points (20, 14), (23, 14), and (23, 12). Write
an equation representing each line.
y

12

10

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 x

Extend
19. What is the value of n if the graphs of nx + 4y + 3 = 0 and
5x - 2y + 6 = 0 are parallel?

20. The lines 6x - ny + 5 = 0 and x + 2y + 4 = 0 are perpendicular.

What is the value of n?

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21. What is the shortest distance between the two lines in the graph?
Explain your reasoning.
y
1

0.5

-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 x

-0.5

-1

22. Two vertices of right triangle ABC are A(-2, 6) and C(7, 3). If the
right angle is at vertex A and vertex B is on the x-axis, identify
the coordinates of point B.

23. The lines nx + 12y - 2 = 0 and 3x + ny + 6 = 0 are parallel.

What are the possible values of n?

24. Determine the value of n if the lines nx - 2y + 8 = 0 and

3x + ny + 6 = 0 are perpendicular.

Create Connections
25. Is the following statement always true, sometimes true, or never
true? “The slopes of perpendicular lines are always negative
reciprocals of each other.” Explain your reasoning.

26. Suppose you want to determine whether two lines are parallel.
Which form of an equation would you prefer to use? Why?

7.4 Parallel and Perpendicular Lines • MHR 395