Chapter 7 Notes
7.1
What we are trying to do this chapter is solve equations for two variables. A solution of an
equation in two variables in an ordered pair of real numbers that satisfies the equation. For example if
we took y=3x+2 we can solve for one variable by selecting a solution for the other and using it to solve
the way have in the past. But first when working with an ordered pair we have to understand that they
have to be placed in order. So when writing the solution it will be written in the style of (x,y). So we
could say that when x is 1, after plugging that in, y is 5 so the ordered pair would be (1,5). Because each
number we choose for one will give us a number for the other there are an infinite number of solutions.
Once we understand this we have an easy way of seeing what those solutions look like and involves
graphing the solution on the rectangular coordinate system, or the Cartesian plane which gives us a
graph where each point takes a distinct place on the plane. Now let’s work on how to graph some basic
equations.
Ex 1. Graph the equation y=-3x+2
Another way to find solutions to linear graphs is by finding the x and y intercepts. The way we do this is
by understanding what these are, the x intercept is where the line crosses the x axis so it is where y=0.
The y intercept is where the line crosses the y axis so it is where x=0. Since you need 2 points to create a
line one method in graphing any linear equation is by finding these two points.
Ex 2. Graph 2x-y=4 Ex 3. 4y+3x=7
There are also so basic line types we need to remember what the simpler looking equations look like
both visually and graphically.
Ex 4. Y=-3x Ex 5. Y=2 Ex 6. X=-3
7.2 Linear Inequalities
Linear inequalities come in a similar basic form to what we saw in the previous section.
𝐴𝑥 + 𝐵𝑦 ≥ 𝑜𝑟 ≤ 𝐶 Graphing them is almost the same as graphing linear equations with a few minor
changes. First we are finding answers that are either above or below the line instead of just on the line.
Second is dependent on whether it is equal to the line you have drawn or not, which we denote with a
solid line or dotted line.
Ex 1. Graph 2𝑥 + 3𝑦 < 6 Ex 2. Graph 𝑥 − 4𝑦 ≥ 8
7.3 Distance and Slope
One of the main things we want to understand when working with a rectangular coordinate system is
how far away one point is away from another or distance. This is used in real life often when scaling
plans for buildings or on maps of countries to tell the distance from one city or country from another.
We will start with the easy types where only the x or y coordinate are different.
Ex 1. Find the distance between the points A(-3,1) and B(-3,7) and also between points C(2,5) and D
(6,5).
Now let’s use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the distance from points that have both different x and y
points.
Ex 2. Find the distance between the points A(-2,2) and B(6,-4)
The way we did this problem was to make a right triangle by having the two points we were given be the
connection of the hypotenuse and making a new point where we can make a right angle connecting legs
to those two points. So, we from there can say that |𝑥2 − 𝑥1 | = ̅̅̅̅̅
𝑃1 𝑅 and |𝑦2 − 𝑦1 | = ̅̅̅̅̅
𝑃2 𝑅 . We will let d
be the distance from 𝑃1 𝑡𝑜 𝑃2 and get using the Pythagorean Theorem 𝑑 = |𝑥2 − 𝑥1 | + |𝑦2 − 𝑦1 |2
2 2
Since we are trying to find d and since all distance is positive we can use the square root theorem to say
that 𝑑 = √(𝑥2 − 𝑥1 )2 +(𝑦2 − 𝑦1 )2 which is our distance formula.
Ex 3. Find the distance between (-1,3) and (-6,8)
Ex 4. Verify that the points (2,-1), (6,5) and (-4,3) are vertices of a isosceles triangle.
Find the slope of a line.
The slope of a line is defined as how steep it is. The way we say it is the ratio of vertical change over
horizontal change. We should know that means the change in y over the change in x. We give the
𝑦2 −𝑦1
definition as: 𝑚 =
𝑥2 −𝑥1
Ex 5. Find the slope of each line determined by the following pairs of points.
a. (-3,-4) and (2,3) b. (-2,4) and (3,-5) c. (4,2) and (-3,2)
Ex 6. Graph the line that passes through the point (0,3) and has a slope of m=-2/5.
Ex 7. Graph the line that passes through the point (-1,2) and has a slope of -3.
Ex 8. A certain highway has a 4% grade. How many feet doe sit rise in a horizontal distance of 2 miles?
7.4 Determining the Equation of a Line.
We will use different types of information to find the equations of a line. One thing we can use is a
point and slope.
Ex 1. Find the equation of a line that has a slope of m=1/4 and contains the point (2,5).
Ex 2. Find the equation of the line that contains (-4,3) and (2,-2).
Ex 3. Find the equation of the line that has a slope of 4/5 and a y intercept of -1.
The main form we want to see equations in is Slope-intercept form. This is y=mx+b form which has us
solve for y, have the slope multiplied by the x and whenever we plug 0 in for x it gives us b as the y
intercept. This is an easy place to start since it gives us a point and the slope in an easy to use form.
Ex 4. Find the equation of a line that has a slope of m=2 and a y intercept of -3.
Ex 5. Find the slope of the line when the equation is 2x-5y=6
Ex 6. Graph the line determined by the equation y=-1/3x+2
Finding equations for parallel and perpendicular lines.
When looking at the equations of lines we can see when two lines are similar. The easiest line to see is
the parallel line, since the definition is that they never touch they must have the same slope, so finding
the equation for a parallel line is quite easy. For perpendicular lines it is the opposite, the slopes must
be the negative reciprocal so that if you multiply the slopes together you get -1 as an answer.
Ex 7. Verify that the graphs of 4x-2y=10 and 2x-y=6 are parallel.
Ex 8. Verify that the graphs of 5x-2y=14 and 4x-10y=-3 are perpendicular.
Ex 9. Find the equation of the line that contains (4,-5) and is parallel to the line 8x+2y=12
Ex 10. Find the equation of the line that contains (3,5) and is perpendicular to the line 3x-4y=8