EQUATIONS

OF STRAIGHT
LINE
Vertical and Horizontal lines
Y = mx + c
COORDINATES (X,Y)
28/01/2025

Write down the coordinates for each letter.

y
8
7 A (3,2) B (6,6)
D
6
B C D
5 (5,0) (0,7)
E
4
H E F
3 (-2,5) (4,-3)
2
A G H
1 (-8,-1) (-7,4)
x
C I J
-8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1
-1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 (0,-5) (-3,-7)
G
-2
K K L
-3 (6,-2) (-7,-4)
F
-4
L
-5
I
-6
-7
J
-8
Linear Equation: an equation of first order
between 2 variables whose graph forms a straight
line when plotted.
In linear equations, all variables are taken to the first
power.

𝑦 =2 𝑥+ 3 is linear.

2
𝑦 =2 𝑥 + 3is Why
not. ?
DRAWING LINE
USING GIVEN
EQUATION AND
TABLE
 Suppose you were asked to graph and plot
the solution set of the following linear
equation:

𝑦 =2 𝑥+3.
You could start by creating a table of
values.

x
y
 Choose values of x and get the corresponding
values for y that satisfies the equation:

𝑦 =2 𝑥+ 3

x 0
y
 . . . and substitute the number for
the variable.
𝑦 =2 𝑥+ 3

Then calculate to find, y 3

x 0 (0 , 3)
y 3
 Continue, until you have 3 sets of x
and y values.
𝑦 =2 𝑥+ 3
Then calculate to find, 𝑦 =5
when x=1

x 0 1 (1 , 5)
y 3 5
 Continue, until you have 3 sets of x
and y values.
𝑦 =2 𝑥+ 3
Then calculate to find, 𝑦 =−1
when x=-2

x 0 1 −2 (-2 , -
y 3 5 −1 1)
 With your table completed for three sets
of values, you are ready to graph the line.

𝑦 =2 𝑥+ 3

x 0 1
-2
y 3 5 −1
 When x is 0, y is 3, so plot
the point (0, 3).

𝑦 =2 𝑥+ 3 0, 3

x 𝟎 1
-
y 3 5 −12
 And when x is 1, y is 5, so
plot the point (1, 5).
( 1 , 5)
𝑦 =2 𝑥+ 3

x x 1
-
y 3 5 −1
2
 And finally, when x is -2, y is
-1, so plot the point (-2, -1).

𝑦 =2 𝑥+ 3

x x 1
-
y 3 5 −1
2 ( −2 , −1 )
 If they do line up, you just need to
connect the dots.

𝑦 =2 𝑥+ 3

x x 1
-
y 3 5 −1
2

If the three points do not line up, you need to find your
mistake.
 y
Sketch 4

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

-1

-2

-3

-1 0 1 2
-4
?
-3 ?
-1 ?1 ?3
 y
Sketch 4

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

-1

-2

-3

-1 0 1 2
-4
?
3 ?
2 ?1 ?0
 y
Sketch 4

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

-1

-2

-3

-1 0 1 2
-4
?
0.5 ?1 ?
1.5 ?2
 Example:
𝑦 =4 𝑥 − 2

(0,-
2)
(1,2)
(2,6)
STRAIGHT LINES

All straight lines take the form y = mx + c

 Where m is the gradient

 c is the y-intercept
THE GRADIENT, M
The gradient is a value that represents the steepness of a
line

A positive number indicates a line that slopes upwards

A negative number indicates a line that slopes downwards

! The steepness of a line is known as the
gradient.
It tells us what changes by as increases
by 1. The equation of a
straight line is of the
form:
Gradien
t
1
The gradient is .
is the ‘y-intercept’.
Gradient using the Equation
We can get the gradient of a line using just its equation.
Rearrange into the form , and then the gradient is .

Examples Test Your

Understanding

?
?
, c=
, c=2 ?

?
?
CONSTRUCTING
EQUATION OF LINE
FROM DRAWING
Graphically
CALCULATING THE
EQUATION OF A LINE
20
Draw a triangle on and note
down the change in the y
15 co-ordinate and x co-
ordinate

10
m=
5
c = +2, therefore the equation of
3 this line is y = 3x + 2
0 1
-2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

-5
CALCULATING THE
EQUATION OF A LINE
20

15
c = +10, therefore the
equation of this line is
10 y = -2.5x + 10

m=
5

-
-2 -1
0
0 1
5 2 3 4 5 6
2
-5
CALCULATING THE
EQUATION OF A LINE
20

15
c = +5, therefore the
equation of this line is y = x
10
+5

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

-5
FINDING EQUATION
OF LINE FROM GIVEN
2 POINTS
Applying Rule
CALCULATING THE
GRADIENT
The gradient is said to be equal to

To calculate it, you need any two co-ordinates on the line () and ()

The gradient, m =

NB: It doesn’t matter which way round you subtract the two y and x
co-ordinates, but you must do the same to the top and bottom
CALCULATING THE
GRADIENT
Example: Calculate the gradient between the points (3, 5)
and
(5, 11)
m= m=

m= m=

m=3 m=3
 CALCULATING THE
GRADIENT
Calculate the gradient between the points
(3, 1) and (6, -11)
m= m=

m= m=

m = -4 m = -4
FIND THE EQUATION OF THE LINE
GIVEN TWO POINTS
Calculate the slope of the two points.

y2  y1
m=
x2  x1

Use equation y=mx+c to get c after getting m by

substituting one of the points in the equation with x
value and the corresponding y value for it.
 EXAMPLE
Write the equation of the line that goes through the
points (3, 2) and (5, 4).

y2  y1
m=
x2  x1

m
4 2 y=x-1
5 3
2
m  1
2
FIND THE EQUATION OF THE LINE
GIVEN THE X- AND Y - INTERCEPTS

Write the intercepts as ordered pairs.

The x-intercept 4 is the ordered pair (4, 0).
The y-intercept -2 is the ordered pair (0, -2).

Calculate the slope.

Substitute the slope and the y-intercept (b) into the slope-
intercept formula.
 EXAMPLE
Write the equation of the line with x-intercept 3
and y-intercept 2.

x-intercept 3 = (3, 0); y-intercept 2 = (0, 2)

Slope:
y2  y1
m= y = mx + b
x2  x1
2 0
m 2
0 3 y  x  2
3
2 2
m 
3 3
HORIZONTAL LINES:
Here is a horizontal straight line graph
drawn on axes. y
6

The points (0,5), (1,5), (2,5), (3,5), (4,5) 4

and (5,5) are on the line.

2
They have the same y-value of 5
0
Therefore the line is called
y=5 0 1 2 3 4 5
x

Horizontal Lines parallel to the x-axis have points

whose y-values are all the same.
VERTICAL LINES:
Here is a vertical straight line graph
drawn on axes. y
6

The points (3,1), (3,2), (3,3), (3,4), (3,5) 4

and (3,6) are on the line.

2
They have the same x-value of 3
0
Therefore the line is called
x=3 0 1 2 3 4 5
x

Vertical lines parallel to the y-axis have points whose

x-values are all the same.
Exercise
Put the following equations into the right column.
x=3 y=2 y=x y=7 x=1 y=3 y=0 x=5

Horizontal Lines Vertical

Parallel to the x-axis Parallel to the y-axis

y=2 x=3

y=7 x=1

y=0 x=5

y=3
Exercise 2:
Write the equations for each of these
lines.
A B C A
y
x =1
6
B
x=2
4 D
C
x=4
2 E
D
y=4
0 E
0 1 2
x y=2
3 4 5
SOLVING
SIMULTANEOUS
EQUATIONS
GRAPHICALLY
① Solving Simultaneous Equations Graphically ②

Solve graphically:
𝑦 =𝑥+ 5 Solve graphically:
𝑦 =𝑥+ 4
𝑦 =2 𝑥+1 𝑦 =3 𝑥 − 2

(4, 9)
(3, 7)

Substitute Substitute
𝑥=4 𝑦 =9 to check.
𝑥=3 𝑦 =7 to check.
③ Solving Simultaneous Equations Graphically ④

Solve graphically:
𝑦 + 𝑥 =6 Solve graphically:
𝑦 + 𝑥 =10
𝑦 =𝑥 − 4 𝑦 =𝑥 −1

(5.5,
4.5)

(5, 1)

Substitute Substitute
𝑥=5 𝑦 =1 to check.
𝑥=5.5 𝑦 =4.5 to check.
⑤ Solving Simultaneous Equations Graphically ⑥

Solve graphically:
2 𝑦 + 𝑥=6 Solve graphically:
𝑦 + 2 𝑥=8
𝑦 =2 𝑥 −2 1
𝑦= 𝑥−2
2

(2, 2) (4, 0)

Substitute Substitute
𝑥=2 𝑦 =2 to check.
𝑥=4 𝑦 =0 to check.
⑦ Solving Simultaneous Equations Graphically ⑧

2 𝑦 +3 𝑥=24 4 𝑦 −5 𝑥=20
Solve graphically: Solve graphically: 1
𝑦 =2 𝑥 −2 𝑦 =12 − 𝑥
2

(4, 10)

(4, 6)

Substitute Substitute
𝑥=4 𝑦 =6 to check.
𝑥=4 𝑦 =10 to check.