Straight Lines

Objectives:
E Grade

Plot the graphs of straight lines such as

x = 3 and y = 4
Complete a table of values for equations
such as y = 3x + 1 and draw the graph

D Grade

Solve problems involving graphs, such as finding

where the line y = x +3 crosses the line y = 2

C Grade

Recognise the equations of straight line graphs

such as y = -3x + 1
Find the gradients of straight line graphs

Prior knowledge:

Plot co-ordinates in all four quadrants

Complete the table for

the equation y = x
x -3 -1 0 1
1
y -3 -1 0
Complete the table for
the equation y = 2x
x -3 -1 0 1
y -6 -2 0
2
Complete the table for
the equation y = 3x
x -3 -1 0 1
3
y -9 -3 0
Complete the table for
the equation y = -x
x -3 -1 0 1
0 -1
3 1
y

The Gradient of
a straight line

Straight Lines
3
3

y
10

9
8
7

3
6

4
3
2

3
9

-10 -9

-8

-7

-6 -5

-4

x
x
x

x1
3 4
-3 -2 -1 0x 1 2
x
x -1
x -2
x
x x -3
-4

x
3
3

-5
-6
-7

-8
-9
-10

10

Straight Lines
What do you notice about these straight lines?
y=x
y = 2x
y = 3x
y = -x
They are not parallel
- they have different
gradients

y
10

9
8
7

6
5

4
3
2

-10 -9

-8

-7

-6 -5

-4

x
x
x

x1
3 4
-3 -2 -1 0x 1 2
x
x -1
x -2
x
x x -3
-4

-5
-6
-7

-8
-9
-10

10

Straight Lines
We look at the gradient more closely:
5
y=x

4
if x = 1 then y = 1

if x = 2 then y = 2
3

So we say :
2
every time we go across 1
we go up 1
1

Straight Lines

y = 2x
if x = 0 then y = 0
if x = 1 then y = 2
if x = 2 then y = 4

So we say :

1
every time we go across 1
we go up 2
x
0

Straight Lines
x
y = 3x
if x = 0 then y = 0
if x = 1 then y = 3
if x = 2 then y = 6

So we say :

1
every time we go across 1
we go up 3
x
0

Straight Lines
y = -x
if x = 0 then y = 0
if x = 1 then y = -1
if x = 2 then y = -2

2
1

0x
0
-
1

So we say :
every time we go across 1
-
we go down 1
2

positive gradient
A positive coefficient for x
e.g. y = x, y = 2x, y = 3x

negative gradient
A negative coefficient for x
e.g. y = -x, y = -2x, y = -3x

Straight Lines
To summarise for the gradient of a line:
The coefficient of x tells us the gradient of a straight line
(how steep it is)
A gradient of 1 every time we go across 1 we go up 1
y=x
y = 2x
y = 3x

y = -x

A gradient of 2 every time we go across 1 we go up 2

Steeper than a gradient of 1
A gradient of 3 every time we go across 1 we go up 3
Steeper than a gradient of 2
A gradient of -1 every time we go across 1 we go down 1
A negative gradient

Straight Lines
To summarise for any straight line:
For any equation in the form y = mx + c
The variable m can be + or m is the gradient
c is the y-intercept

Straight Lines
Finding the gradient for the line that passes through two pairs of
coordinates:
The gradient is the same at every point on the straight line.
To find the gradient between two points find how much it has
gone up and compare this with how much it has gone across.
x
How much up (y-direction)
difference in y

x
How much across (x-direction)
difference in x
gradient =

Straight Lines
Find the gradient for the line that passes through (2,1) and (5,7)
y

difference in y 7 1 = 6

10
9

difference in x 5 2 = 3
gradient = 6 = 2
3
In general terms we can say
(2,1) is (x1,y1)
and
(5,7) is (x2,y2)
Therefore:

6
5
4
3
2

1
-10 -9

-8

-7

-6 -5

-4

-3

-2

-1

0
-1
-2
-3
-4

Gradient = y2- y1
x2 - x1

-5
-6
-7
-8
-9
-10

10

Straight Lines
Now do these:

12 - 0
4-0
4-0
12 - 0
0-5
5-0
7-5
7-3
4-5
2-4

=3
1

=3
= -1
1

=2
1

=1 2

Complete the table for

the equation y = x
x -3 -1 0 1

y
Complete the table for
the equation y = 2x
x -3 -1 0 1

y
Complete the table for
the equation y = 3x
x -3 -1 0 1

y
Complete the table for
the equation y = -x
x -3 -1 0 1

Worksheet 1
Straight Lines
3

y
10
9
8
7
6

5
4
3
2
1

-10 -9

-8

-7

-6 -5

-4

-3

-2

-1

0
-1
-2
-3
-4
-5
-6

-7
-8
-9
-10

10