Just as two points make the graph of a line possible, two points create the line's equation, which is also known as a linear equation. Two of important points of a line are its x- and y-intercepts, which respectively indicate the points where the line traverses the x- and y-axes. One of the most common linear equation forms is the slope-intercept form, which has the slope of the line and the y-intercept as key components. You can easily create a linear equation by calculating the right slope and substituting the right values.
Instructions
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1
Write down the x- and y-intercepts of the line. For this example, allow the y-intercept to be 3 and the x-intercept be 6.
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2
Calculate of the slope of the line by dividing the y-intercept by the x-intercept, then multiply the product by -1. In this example, dividing 3 by 6 equals ½, and ½ multiplied by -1 equals -½.
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3
Substitute the y-intercept for b and the slope for m in the equation y = mx + b to obtain the equation of the line. Concluding this example, substituting 3 for b and -½ for m in the equation results in y = -½x + 3.