Expert: Scott A Wilson - 7/27/2011

Question
11. Find the linear equation in slope-intercept form given the following information:

m = -1 and b = 1/2

Answers:
A) y=1/2x-1
B) y=x+1/2
C) y=x-1
D) y=-2x+1

Answer
It is known that the answer is y = mx + b.
Since we are given m = -1 and b = 1/2, that is, y = -x + 1/2.
I don't see that among the choices given.

Answer A should really be written as A) y = (1/2)x - 1, y = 0.5x - 1, or y = x/2 - 1.
The way it is put in, most people put y = 1/(2x-1) into the computer that way
even though mathematically, it is correct the way it is.

Doing that leaves no room for wondering what was meant.

But anyway, I don't see that answer, which is at the end of line 2.
If B had a minus sign in front of the x, that would be the answer.
None of the other answers even look close since for A, b should be -1,
for C, b shoud be 1/2, and for D, b should be 1.

Both B and C have the slope right if a negative sign is put in front of the x.