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Algebra1 formula, what does y2 - y1 over x2 - x1 mean?
If (x1, y1) = (0, 2) and (x2, y2) = (1, 4)
thats the example in my book but i dont understand how that could work if anything multipied by 0 is 0
how do i use this equasion with other problems:
use m = y2 - y1 over x2 - x1
8 Answers
- 1 decade agoFavorite Answer
That forumula is for calculating a slope (Change in Y over change in X).
Right now for the coordinates 0,2 and 1,4 your slope is 1/2.
4-2/1-0 = 2/1
Which means you'll go up 2, over 1.
- 1 decade ago
This formula is used to determine the slope of a line. The slope of a line (which is commonly called m) is the rise of the line (x2-x1) over the run of that same line (y2-y1). You can use this formula to find other coordinates on the same line if you have a single point and the slope or 2 points, then you can figure out the slope using this formula to find other unknown coordinates
- 1 decade ago
(y2-y1)/(x2-x1) is the gradient of the line.
The equation of the line is y = m x
m = (4-2)/(1-0)=2
so the equation is y=2x
- 1 decade ago
You arent multiplying by o... it is telling you the numbers you need to punch in to figure out slope. on a graph, the first dot would be at the locus of 0 left, and two up. (0,2) and the second would be at 1 right and four up (1,4). WIth these numbers you can graph the line, or determine slope intercept etx.
in the second equation m=2 tells you that slope is m. It is a formula again for determining slope intercept.
Source(s): college math... - How do you think about the answers? You can sign in to vote the answer.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
thats the example in my book but i dont understand how that could work if anything multipied by 0 is 0
what do you want to multiply?
- 1 decade ago
y2-y1 divided by x2-x1, so it would be y1 over x1, simplified, it would be x over y
- 1 decade ago
these represent two points on a line and are used to determine - "m", the slope of the line. x and y are the axis variables