GCSE: Straight Line Equations
Dr J Frost (jfrost@[Link])
[Link]
Last modified: 30th August 2015
GCSE specification:
Understand that an equation of the form y = mx + c corresponds to a straight line graph
Plot straight line graphs from their equations
Plot and draw a graph of an equation in the form y = mx + c
Find the gradient of a straight line graph
Find the gradient of a straight line graph from its equation
Understand that a graph of an equation in the form y = mx + c has gradient of m and a y intercept
of c (ie. crosses the y axis at c)
Understand how the gradient of a real life graph relates to the relationship between the two
variables
Understand how the gradients of parallel lines are related
Understand how the gradients of perpendicular lines are related
Understand that if the gradient of a graph in the form y = mx + c is m, then the gradient of a line
perpendicular to it will be -1/m
Generate equations of a line parallel or perpendicular to a straight line graph
y
What is the equation of 4
this line?
And more importantly, 3
why is it that?
2
x -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
-1
-2
The line -3represents □ “Understand that
𝑥=2
? all points which
satisfies -4the
an equation
corresponds to a
line graph.”
equation.
y
Starter 4
A
3 D
F
C
2
B
1
G E
x -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
-1
H
-2
-3
-4 What is the equation of
each line?
Equation of a line
Understand that an equation of the form corresponds to a
straight line graph
The equation of a straight line is
gradient y-intercept
Gradient using two points
! Given two points on a line, the gradient is:
( 1 , 4 ) (3 , 10 ) 𝑚=3
?
( 5 , 7 ) ( 8 , 1) 𝑚=−
? 2
( 2 , 2 ) (− 1 , 10) 𝑚=−? 8
3
Gradient from an Equation
Find the gradient of a straight line graph from its equation.
Putting in form : Putting in form :
Gradient is -2
? Gradient is ?
Test Your Understanding
Find the gradient of the line with equation .
𝟐𝒚=𝒙−𝟏 ?
Exercise 1
Determine the gradient of the lines
1
which go through the following d ?
points. A line goes through the points
e ?
and . Line has the equation .
a ? f ?
Which has the greater gradient:
b ?
Determine the gradient of the lines g So has greater gradient.?
c the following equations: ?
with
d ? 3
e ?
f ?
g ?
h
? ?
2
a ?
b ?
c
?
y
Drawing Straight Lines 4
Sketch the line with equation:
3
x -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
-1
-2
Bro Tip: To sketch a line, just work out -3 □ “Plot and draw a
any two points on the line. Then join up. graph of an
Using for one point and for the other equation in the
-4
makes things easy. form y = mx + c”
y
Test Your Understanding 4
Sketch the line with equation:
3
x -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
-1
-2
-3 □ “Plot and draw a
graph of an
equation in the
-4
form y = mx + c”
Finding intersection with the axis
𝑦
When a line crosses the -axis:
?
When a line crosses the -axis:
𝑥 ?
The point where the line crosses the:
Equation -axis -axis
? ?
? ?
? ?
Equation given a gradient and point
The gradient of a line is 3. It goes through the point (4, 10). What
is the equation of the line?
?
Start with (where is to be determined)
Substituting:
Therefore
The gradient of a line is -2. It goes through the point (5, 10). What
is the equation of the line?
𝒚 =−𝟐 𝒙+𝟐𝟎 ?
Test Your Understanding
1 Determine the equation of the line which has gradient 5 and goes through
the point .
?
2 Determine the equation of the line which has gradient and goes through the
point .
?
Find the equation of the line which is parallel to and goes through the point
3
?
Equation given two points
A straight line goes through the points (3, 6) and (5, 12). Determine
the full equation of the line.
Gradient: 3 ?
(5,12)
Equation: ?
(3,6)
A straight line goes through the points (5, -2) and (1, 0). Determine
the full equation of the line.
(5, -2)
Gradient: -0.5 ?
(1,0)
Equation: ?
Exercise 2
1 Determine the points where the 5 Determine the equation of the line parallel
following lines cross the and axis. to and goes through the point .
? ?
Determine the equation of the line parallel
?
Using suitable axis, draw the line with 6 to and goes through the point .
equation .
? Determine the equation of the lines which
?
go through the following pairs of points:
2
7
A line has gradient 8𝑦and goes
through the point5 . Determine its
equation. ? ?
5 𝑥 ?
A line has gradient and goes
2through ?
3 the point . Determine its equation. ?
?
?
4
?
y
?
m = 1/2 3 ?
m = -1/3
m=3?
x -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
-1
m = -2?
-2
Find the gradients of
-3 each pair of
perpendicular lines.
-4 What do you notice?
Perpendicular Lines
! If two lines are perpendicular, then the gradient of one is the
negative reciprocal of the other.
Or:
Gradient Gradient of Perpendicular Line
?
-4 ?
?
?
?
?
Example Problems
Q1 A line is goes through the point (9,10) and is perpendicular to another line with
equation . What is the equation of the line?
?
A line goes through the points and . A second line is perpendicular to and
Q2 passes through point B. Where does cross the x-axis?
?
Are the following lines parallel, perpendicular, or neither?
Q3
Neither. Gradients are and . But , not -1, so not perpendicular.
?
Exercise 3
1 A line goes through the indicated point and is 4
perpendicular to another line . Determine the 𝑙
+5
equation of in each case.
3𝑥
?
𝑦=
𝑥
? through B,
Find the equation of the line which passes Determine the equation of the line .
and is perpendicular to the line passing through both
A and B. ? ?
Line has the equation . Line goes through?the points 𝑦
and . Are the lines parallel, perpendicular, or neither? 5
? 𝑦=
so perpendicular.
−
2 2𝑥 𝑙
+4
𝑥
?
Determine the equation of the line .
3 Known point on :
So equation of : ?
?
GCSE specification:
Understand that an equation of the form y = mx + c corresponds to a straight line graph
Plot straight line graphs from their equations
Plot and draw a graph of an equation in the form y = mx + c
Find the gradient of a straight line graph
Find the gradient of a straight line graph from its equation
Understand that a graph of an equation in the form y = mx + c has gradient of m and a y intercept
of c (ie. crosses the y axis at c)
Understand how the gradient of a real life graph relates to the relationship between the two
variables
Understand how the gradients of parallel lines are related
Understand how the gradients of perpendicular lines are related
Understand that if the gradient of a graph in the form y = mx + c is m, then the gradient of a line
perpendicular to it will be -1/m
Generate equations of a line parallel or perpendicular to a straight line graph
Two last things…
Midpoint of two points Distance between two points
(7 ,9)
?5
( 5 , 9)
3
(𝟒 ,𝟕.𝟓)
?
(3 ,6)
(3 ,6) 4
Just find the average of and the
Find change and change to
average of .
form right-angled triangle.
Then use Pythagoras.
Past Exam Questions
See GCSEPastPaper_Solutions.pptx
GCSERevision_StraightLineEquations.docx