CHAPTER 5: THE STRAIGHT LINE

5.1 GRADIENT

y 2 y
x 2x 1
m=

INTERCEPT

1.) ( 2,1) and (4,3)

1)

2.) (- 2,1) and (4,3)

2)

3) (1,-2) and (3,4)

3)

1
3
,0
4.) (0, 2 ) and ( 2 )

4) (0,3) , ( 5,0 )

1 3
1 1
5) (- 2 , 2 ) and ( 2 ,- 2 )

5) (-1, 0 ) , ( 0,-5)

5.2 INTERCEPT
y-intercept (x = 0)

X-intercept (y = 0)
X-intercept
1) y 2 x 4

y 0 0 2x 4
4 2x
2 x 4
x

Y intercept

y=0

1) y 2 x 6
x = 0 , y = 2(0) + 6
y=6
y- intercept = 6

4
2
2

x- intercept = -2

1) y 5 x 2

1) y 2 x 7

2) y 2 x 5
2)

1
x6
2

3) y 4 x 5

2
y x7
3
3)

4.) y 3 x 1

4) 3 y 3x 2

2
y x4
5
5)

5) y 3 x 9

x=0

5.3 EQUATION OF A STRAIGHT LINE

EQUATION OF A STRAIGHT LINE : y = mx + c

Gradient y-intercept
THE EQUATION OF A STRAIGHT LINE PASSING THROUGH THE POINTS AND GRADIENT
Example
1) (2,7) and m = 3
y = mx + c
7 = 3(2) + c
7=6+c
76=c
c=1

Exercise A
1) (4,9) and m= -2

Equation of a straight line , y = 3x + 1

.
2) (-3,5) and m = 4
y = mx + c
5 = 4(-3) + c
5 = -12 + c
C= 5 + 12
=17

2) (-1,7) and m = 5

Equation of a straight line, y = 4x +17

.

1
3) (4,-9) and m = 2

3) (-5,11) and m = -2

y = mx + c

1
-9 = 2 (4) + c
-9 = 2 + c
-9 2 = c
c = -11

1
equation of a straight line, y = 2 x - 11
.

2
4) ( -3,-5) and m = 3

3
5) (3,-7) and m = - 4

The straight line can also be obtained by using the formula

y k = m (x h)
Example

Exercise B

1) (2,7) and m = 3

1) (4,9) and m= -2

y 7 3( x 2)
y 7 3x 6
y 3x 6 7
y 3x 1

.
2) (-3,-5) and m = 4

3) (-1,7) and m = 5

1
4) (4,-9) and m = 2

5) (5,-11) and m = -2

2
6) ( -4,-5) and m = 3

3
7) (4,-7) and m = - 4

EQUATION OF A STRAIGHT LINE THROUGH TWO POINTS

Step 1 : Find the gradient
Step 2: Find the y- intercept
Step 3 : Write down the equation in a form of y = mx + c
Example

Exercise

(-1,2) and (3,4)

1. (2,1) and (4,3)

42
2 1
m= 3 (1) = 4 = 2

y = mx + c

1
4 = 2 (3) + c
3
4= 2+c
3
C= 4 - 2
1
=22
1
5
Equation of a straight line, y = 2 x + 2
Or 2y = x + 5
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2) (-1,2) and (3,4)

3) (-2,1) and (4,3)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4) (3,-5) and (-2,5)

5) (3,-7) and (-1,3)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1
,4
6) ( 2 ) and (3,-6)

1
1
,5
,3
7) ( 3 ) and ( 3
)

EQUATION OF A STRAIGHT LINE PASSING THROUGH PARALLEL LINES

Lines which are parallel have the same gradient and vice versa.
Example
1) (1,2) and y = 3x 4

m3
y 2 3( x 1)
y 2 3x 3
y 3x 3 2
y 3x 1

Exercise
1) (0,-3) and y = -2x + 5

2) (2,4) and y + x = 5
2) (0,6) and y = 5x -1
y = -x + 5

m 1
y 4 1( x 2)
y 4 x 2
y x 2 4
y x 6

.............................................................................................................................................................
3) (8,-5) and 5y + 20x = -2
3) (2,3) and 2x -5y = 12
5y = -20x -2

20 x 2
5
y=
2
y = - 4x - 5
m 4
y (5) 4( x 8)
y 5 4 x 32
y 4 x 32 5
y 4 x 37

4) (5,2) and y = x -3

5) (1,8) and 3x + y =4

6) (3,4) and y = 2x -2
7) (0,-3) and 2x + y -5 = 0

1.
In Diagram 2, the graph shows that PQ, QR, and RS are straight lines. P is on the y-axis. OP is
Parallel to QR and PQ is parallel to RS.

y
R
P

x
(8, -7)

Diagram 2
The equation of PQ is 2x + y = 5
(a)
State the equation of the straight line QR
(b)
Find the equation of the straight line RS and hence, state its y-intercept.
[ 5 marks ]

2. In Diagram 3, OPQR is parallelogram and O is the origin.

y
R(4,12)
Q

x
P(3, -6)

Diagram 3

Find
(a)
(b)

the equation of the straight line PQ,

the y-intercept of the straight line QR

[ 5 marks ]

3.
In Diagram 2, O is the origin, point R lies on the x-axis and point P pies on the y-axis.
Straight line PU is parallel to the x-axis and straight line PR is parallel to straight line ST. The equation of straight line
PR is x + 2y = 14.
y
P

U
x + 2y -14

T(2, -5)
Diagram 2
(a)

State the equation of the straight line PU

(b)

Find the equation of the straight line ST and hence , state its x-intercept
[ 5 marks]

4.
In Diagram 3, O is the origin and PQRS is a trapezium. PS is parallel to QR. Straight line RS is parallel to x-axis.
Point Q and S lies on x-axis
y

P (-1, 10)

Diagram 3
Find
(a)
(b)

Equation of a straight line QR

x-intercept of the straight line QR

R(4, -11)

[ 5 marks ]

5.
Diagram 5 shows a straight line PQ and a straight line RS drawn on a Cartesian plane. PQ is parallel to RS.
y

P (0, 4)

R (0, 4)

S (0, 4)

Diagram 5

Find
a) the equation of the straight line PQ,
b) the x-intercept of the straight line PQ
[ 5 marks ]

6.
In Diagram 2, O is the origin . Point P and point R lie on the y-axis. PS is parallel to the x-axis and straight line SR is
parallel to straight line PQ .
y

Q(-4,0)

S (8 , 3)

Diagram 2
Find
(a)

the equation of a straight line SR

(b)

the x-intercept of the straight line SR

[ 5 marks ]

7.
In Diagram 2, O is the origin .Straight line KL is parallel to straight line MN. The equation of straight line KL is 2x +
y = 4. The points L and N lie on y-axis .
y

M (-3, 7)
L
N

Diagram 2
Find
c) the equation of the straight line MN,
d) the x-intercept of the straight line MN
[ 5 marks ]

8.
In Diagram 5, PQRS is parallelogram and O is the origin . It is given that the equation of the straight line PQ is 2y =
x + 18.
y
Q

R( 7, 2)
O0

Diagram 5
Find
(a)
(b)

the equation of a straight line RS,

the x-intercept of the straight line RS.

[ 5 marks ]
9.
Diagram 6 show a trapezium PQRS drawn on a Cartesian plane. SR is parallel to PQ .
y

S (8 , 9)

P (3 , 5)

Q(11,1)
O

Diagram 6
Find
(a)
(b)

the equation of a straight line SR

the y-intercept of the straight line SR
[ 5 marks ]