The General Equation Of Straight Line
Definition of Straight Line : a line moves through two points with specific gradient and
it may intersect with x axis or y axis or both of them
General Equation of Straight Line :
y=mX+C
Where :
m : slope or gradient for straight line
X : x coordinate for any point the line passes through it
y: y coordinate for any point the line passes through it
C : the intersected part of y axis
1) How to get a gradient ( m ) for any straight line :
If the line passes through two points as the fowllowing :
• Point 1 with coordinates ( X 1 , y 1 )
• Point 2 with coordinates ( X2 , y2)
Y2 - Y1
Then the gradient value (m) =
X2 - X1
it can be ( +) or ( - ) or equal ( 0)
EX:
find the gradient of the line passing through the two points ( 2 , 3 ) and ( 5 , 9 ) .
Y2 - Y1 𝟗−𝟑
Then the gradient value (m) = = =𝟐
X2 - X1 𝟓−𝟐
Note : we can choose any point to be point (1) and other to be point (2)
Y2 - Y1 𝟑−𝟗 −𝟔
For ex: the gradient value (m) for previous example = = = =𝟐
X2 - X1 𝟐−𝟓 −𝟑
and it will be same answer (m = 2)
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The General Equation Of Straight Line
2) How to get a gradient ( C ) for any straight line :
The part ( C ) is the intersected line of y axis :
• It could be positive number such as ( + 3 ) or negative number ( - 3)
Or even equal zero ( 0 )
Example:
find the gradient and y – intercept for the straight line y = 5x – 3
• The gradient value (m) = 5 ( no coordinates is given ) ,so it will be the
factor of X variable
• The y – intercept ( C ) = - 3
Example:
find the gradient and y – intercept for the straight line 2x + y = 4
Steps of Solution :
• We must adjust the equation to be in the form of ( y = mx + b )
y=4–2x
y=-2x+4
• The gradient value (m) = - 2
• The y – intercept ( C ) = 4
3) How to get the parts of straight line equations graphically ( m , C) :
a) if you are given graphical representation for the straight line and you are
asked to deduce the two parts of line equation ( m , C )
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The General Equation Of Straight Line
Example:
find the gradient and y – intercept for the straight line drawn graphically on the grid
and then write down the equation of sketched straight line :
Steps of Solution :
• To get the gradient , we must get or deduce two points that are sketched
and line is passing through it .
• If we have checked the graph , we can deduce two points on the line
Point 1 ( 0 , 3 )
Point 2 ( - 2 , -1 )
Note : when we deduce the points , Do not try to select a fractional points on the
-3 −𝟏
line such as ( , ) to keep on equation accuracy
2 𝟐
and the points should be integers unless it is mentioned .
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The General Equation Of Straight Line
Point 1 ( 0 , 3 )
Y – intercept = C = 3
Point 2 ( - 2 , -1 )
• As it is mentioned before , we can choose any of the two points to be 1 or 2
Point 1 ( 0 , 3 )
𝟑−( −𝟏) 𝟒
point 2 ( - 2 , -1 ) then the gradient ( m ) = = =𝟐
𝟎−(−𝟐) 𝟐
• For y – intercept , from the graph , we can deduce that the straight line
intersects the y axis at 3 ( 3 units for the origin center ) , so
C=3
General equation ( y = m x + C ) , so the equation of sketched straight line
is
y=2x+3
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The General Equation Of Straight Line
Example:
find the gradient and y – intercept for the straight line drawn graphically on the grid
and then write down the equation of sketched straight line :
Steps of Solution :
Point 1 ( 3 , 0 )
− 𝟐− 𝟎 −𝟐 𝟐
Point 2 ( 0 , -2 ) then the gradient ( m ) = = =
𝟎−𝟑 −𝟑 𝟑
and y – intercept C = - 2 General equation ( y = m x + C ) , so the equation
of sketched straight line is
𝟐
y= 𝒙−𝟐
𝟑
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The General Equation Of Straight Line
Point 1 ( 3 , 0)
Y – intercept = C = - 2
Point 2 ( 0 , -2)
𝟐
For the equation y = 𝒙 − 𝟐 , we can simplify the equation to get
𝟑
𝟐
rid of the fraction of gradient ( )
𝟑
𝟐
y= 𝒙 − 𝟐 ( multiply the equation by 3 )
𝟑
3y=2x–6
3y = 2 x - 6
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The General Equation Of Straight Line
Example:
find the gradient and y – intercept for the straight line drawn graphically on the grid
and then write down the equation of sketched straight line :
Steps of Solution :
Point 1 ( 0 , 3)
𝟎−𝟑 −𝟏
Point 2 ( 6 , 0 ) then the gradient ( m ) = =
𝟔−𝟎 𝟐
and y – intercept C = 3 General equation ( y = m x + C ) , so the equation
of sketched straight line is
𝟏
y=− 𝒙+𝟑
𝟐
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The General Equation Of Straight Line
Point 1 ( 0 , 3)
Y – intercept = C = 3 Point 2 ( 6 , 0)
−𝟏
For the equation y = 𝒙 + 𝟑 , we can simplify the equation to get
𝟐
𝟏
rid of the fraction of gradient ( )
𝟐
2y = − 𝒙 + 𝟔 ( multiply the equation by 2 )
2y= -x+6
2y = - x + 6
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The General Equation Of Straight Line
4) How to recognize and get the sign of the gradient without calculation :
The line have negative The line have positive
gradient gradient
m=(-) m=(+)
Example no (3) Examples no 1 & 2
5) Special Cases for the general equation ( y = mx + C) :
a) If the given straight line equation is ( y = C) it does mean the following :
• The straight line is parallel to x axis
• The line is intersecting y-axis at distance of C units from the origin
Example:
y=5
y=-4
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The General Equation Of Straight Line
b) If the given straight line equation is ( x = C) it does mean the following :
• The straight line is parallel to y axis
• The line is intersecting x-axis at distance of C units from the origin
Example:
x=-6 x=3
c) If the two straight lines are parallel to each other , it does mean that
the gradients for both of two lines are equal to each other
m 1 ( straight line 1 ) = m 2 ( straight line 2 )
Example:
A line L is parallel to another line M with equation of y = 4 x – 5 . Line L is also
passing through the point ( 1 , 2 ) . Find the equation of line L .
Steps of Solution :
1. Get the gradient of line M ( m 1 = 4 )
2. Gradient of line M is equal to line L ( m 2 = m 1 = 4 )
3. Write the general equation of line L ( y = 4 x + C )
Since the line passes through point ( 1 , 2 ) , So the mentioned point is
satisfying the equation of line ( put X = 1 and Put y = 2 )
2 = 4 (1) + C , 2 = 4 + C , C=-2
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The General Equation Of Straight Line
4. Substitute in the general equation with value of C y = 4x – 2
y=4x-2
d) If the two straight lines are perpendicular to each other , it does mean
that the multiplication for both two gradients are equal to (-1)
m 1 ( straight line 1 ) X m 2 ( straight line 2 ) = - 1
Example:
A line L is perpendicular to another line M with equation of y = 4 x – 5 . Line L is
also passing through the point ( 1 , 2 ) . Find the equation of line L .
Steps of Solution :
2. Get the gradient of line M ( m 1 = 4 )
3. Line L with ( m2) is perpendicular to Line M with ( m1 = 4)
-1
m 1 X m 2 = -1 , 4 X m 2 = -1 , m2 =
4
-1
4. Write the general equation of line L ( y = x+C)
4
Since the line passes through point ( 1 , 2 ) , So the mentioned point is
satisfying the equation of line ( put X = 1 and Put y = 2 )
-1 1 9
2= (1) + C , 2 + = C , C=
4 4 4
-1 9
1. Substitute in the general equation with value of C y = x+
4 4
5. Multiplying the equation with 4 to adjust the form of equation to be
4y = - x + 9
4y = - x + 9
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The General Equation Of Straight Line
6) How to get the midpoint of any straight line passing through two points :
= mx + C) :
If we have a straight line passing through two points of ( x 1 , y 1 ) and ( x 2 , y 2) , then
x1+x 2 y1+y2
the coordinates of Midpoint for the same straight line is ( , ) with the
2 2
same sign for each x and y coordinates
Example:
Find the midpoint coordinates for the line passing through the two points ( 1 , 3 ) and ( 5 , 7)
Steps of Solution :
𝟏+𝟓 𝟑+𝟕
Midpoint coordinates = ( , ) =(3,5)
𝟐 𝟐
Example:
Find the midpoint coordinates for the line passing through the two points ( - 1 , - 3 ) and ( 5 , 7)
Steps of Solution :
𝟕+(-3) 5+(-1)
Midpoint coordinates = ( , ) =(2,2)
𝟐 2
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The General Equation Of Straight Line
Q1 ) Past Papers on Topic
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The General Equation Of Straight Line
Mark Scheme Answers :
Mark Scheme Clarifications :
part (a) : you will be awarded for right answer only
There
part (b) : you will be awarded 1 mark for two correct
points even if the third one in table is wrong .
part (c) : you will be awarded according to your sketch
and reference to point ( 9b)
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The General Equation Of Straight Line
Q2 )
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The General Equation Of Straight Line
Mark Scheme Answers :
Mark Scheme Clarifications :
part (a) : you will be awarded one mark for equation ( 2x-3)
even if C value is not correct
part (b) : you will be awarded 1 mark for your sketch ( it is
not important to be accurate but it important to be clear
that two lines are perpendicular to each other )
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The General Equation Of Straight Line
Q3 )
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The General Equation Of Straight Line
Mark Scheme Answers :
Mark Scheme Clarifications :
Part (a) : you will be awarded one mark for correct points
( y2- y1)/(x2-x1)
part (b) : you will be awarded only for correct equation
form
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