Expert: Richard J. Raridon - 3/6/2009

Question
Can you PLEASE explain to me how to do these equations??? I know how do them as far as setting them up goes but after that i'm completly lost. I may not have the names right but these are the equations i'm talking about:
y=mx+b
y-y1=m(x-x1)
If you could tell mw how to these equations i'd really appricate it.

Answer
y=mx+b is the standard equation for a straight line written in slope-
intercept form.  m is the slope and b is the y-intercept.  If you have two points you can write the equation for the line through those points.  You can calculate the slope m = (y-y1)/(x-x1) from the two points and then you can use one point to calculate b.