Need a bit of assistance :)

Ravingsofthesane

New member
Joined
Sep 22, 2005
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15
Hello everyone , :D

I am currently stuck trying to figure out what I am doing wrong or not doing with a problem.

the instructions are :

Solve for the given variable if the line though the two given points is to have the given slope.

(3,2) & (4,b) , M=1

now I understand that in order to solve this I need to apply slope-intercept form.

I have this .... 2-b / 3-4 = 1

so .. 2-b / -1 = 1

then .. -2+b = -1

finally ... b= 1

now the correct anwser is 3 ... I am a bit lost on where I went wrong in this equation. Thank you to anyone who can offer me some assistance with this.
 
Ravingsofthesane said:
(3,2) & (4,b) , M=1
I have this .... 2-b / 3-4 = 1 : correct ; need brackets: (2-b) / (3-4)

so .. 2-b / -1 = 1 : correct

then .. -2+b = -1 : should be 2 - b = -1 ; why did you change to -2+b?

finally ... b= 1 : should be b = 3
 
(3,2) & (4,b) , M=1
I have this .... 2-b / 3-4 = 1 : correct ; need brackets: (2-b) / (3-4)
so .. 2-b / -1 = 1 : correct

then .. -2+b = -1 : should be 2 - b = -1 ; why did you change to -2+b?
finally ... b= 1 : should be b = 3


:) thanks for the help there

ok .. let me restate to be sure that I understand


Problem : (3,2) & (4,b) M= 1

1st ..... (2-b)/(3-4) = 1

2nd .... 2-b/-1 = 1

3rd .... we multiply -1 to both sides of the equation to get
2-b = -1

4th .... -b = -3

5th .... b = 3


this is the correct way right?
 
Yes, that's ok.
There's other ways;
we have : (2-b) / -1 = 1

Start by doing the division on left side: -2 + b = 1; b = 3
(when you divide by -1, the numerator's signs are changed)

Or crisscross multiplication: (2-b) * 1 = -1 * 1; 2 - b = -1; b = 3
same as:
8 / 2 = 4
that's really 8 / 2 = 4 / 1
crisscross multiply: 8 * 1 = 2 * 4; 8 = 8
 
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