MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals

28. Finding the equation of a line

Here we’ll
• See how to find the equation of a line from a given
description
• Discuss parallel lines
• Discuss perpendicular lines
E QUATIONS OF LINES

ax + by = c

y = mx + c (non-vertical ones, has a gradient)

F INDING THE EQUATION OF A LINE
E XAMPLE : GIVEN GRADIENT, GIVEN POINT ON IT

Find the equation of the line with gradient 2 which contains the point (4, 7).

We know that we are working with a line y = mx + c and we are told that
m = 2, so
y = 2Mt C

We also know that when x = 4 the equation gives y = 7.

7--2 (4) to
7=8 to
c= -

Hence, the equation of the straight line is y = 2x -

I .
A NOTHER EXAMPLE : GIVEN TWO POINTS

Find the equation of the line containing (2, 5) and (5, 11).

M ETHOD 1 (S IMULTANEOUS EQUATIONS ):

Substitute two coordinates into y = mx + c

(5, 11) ) 11 = m⇥5 + c (1)

(2, 5) ) 5 = m⇥2 + c (2)
6 = 3M

So m = 2
Substituting m = 2 into say equation (2) gives

5= 212) + c
) 5= 4 to

) c= 1

Hence, the equation is y = 2 set I

 y
(5,11)

(2,5)

M ETHOD 2 (U SE THE DEFINITION OF GRADIENT TO FIND m)

change in y value 11 5 6
m = = = = 2
change in x value 5 2 3
So the equation (so far) is y = 2x + c.

Find c: substitute one of the points, say (2, 5), into equation and solve for c:
5=267 t C 5=4 to c I-
-

Hence, the equation of the straight line is y = 2nF I

I NTERSECTING LINES
y
Example: Where do y = 4x 1 and y = 2x+5 intersect?

Ca , y )
Find Cng) satisfies both
←
da I
y
- -

2n f- 5
y=
-

SIMULTANEOUS EQ's RHS I RHS 2

x
'
-

Gn -
I
y =
4N -

I = -

2n +5
2nt5
6
= -

y
-
Goe =

o = Ga 6
I
-

N' -

see =
I
44) I
y
-_ -

i
=3
( 1,3)
,

( n ,y ) =
PARALLEL LINES =
Two lines are parallel if they don’t intersect.
Parallel lines have the same gradient.
For example,

y = 2x + 1 and y = 2x 2

1
x

-2
P ERPENDICULAR LINES
Perpendicular lines (i.e., lines at right-angles to each other)
have gradients which multiply to give 1.
1
F OR EXAMPLE : y = 2x 2 and y = 2x +1
I at 1000
y y
-

a
-

y
-

¥
-

x
.

If a given line has gradient m then any line perpendicular to it

must have gradient m1 .
P ERPENDICULAR LINES : SPECIAL CASE

Of course, the x-axis and y-axis are perpendicular:

gradients 0 and 1!
y

x
P RACTICE PROBLEMS
⑧

y=c
( I ) Find the equation of the horizontal line which contains the
point (4, 5). y = -
5

( II ) Find the equation of the line which is perpendicular to

y = 2x + 5 and has y-intercept 6.
y=¥at6
( III ) Find the equation of the line containing ( 2, 4) and (3, 1).
mute
y
=

4 = m C- 2) t C

I =
M ( 3 ) t C
-
S OLUTIONS TO PRACTICE PROBLEMS
( I ) Horizontal lines have equation y = c (that is, m = 0). Now,
the y-coordinate of the point (4, 5) is c = 5 so the
equation of the line must be

y= 5

( II ) We are told that the y-intercept is 6 and hence c = 6.

Observe that the given line (y = 2x + 5) has gradient 2.
Because the desired line is perpendicular to this line then it
must have gradient
1
m=
2
and hence the equation of the desired line is
1
y= x+6
2
S OLUTIONS TO PRACTICE PROBLEMS
( III ) To find the equation of the line containing the points
( 2, 4) and (3, 1) we can use either of Method 1 or
Method 2.
Method 1: Substituting the two co-ordinates into the equation of
a line y = mx + c gives us a pair of simultaneous equations to be
solved for m and c:
( 2, 4) ) 4 = m ⇥ ( 2) + c (1)
(3, 1) ) 1 = m⇥3 + c (2)
5 = 5m
5
So m= =1
5
Substituting m = 1 into say equation (2) gives

1=3+c
) c= 2
Hence the equation is
y=x 2
S OLUTIONS TO PRACTICE PROBLEMS
Method 2: The points are ( 2, 4) and (3, 1). Use the definition
of gradient to find m:

change in y value 1 ( 4) 1+4 5

m = = = = = 1
change in x value 3 ( 2) 3+2 5

So the equation (so far) is y = x + c.

To find c, substitute one of the points, say (3, 1) into this equation
and solve for c:
1=3+c ) c= 2
Hence, the equation of the straight line is y = x 2

(3,1)

(-2,-4)