Different forms of a straight line’s equation

A straight line can be algebraically expressed in four different forms:

a) Slope Intercept form: y = mx + c

b) Point slope form: y − y1 = m ( x − x1 )

c) Standard form: ax + by = c

d) General form: ax + by + c = 0

We will now see in depth each one of these cases.

Case 1: Slope intercept form (gradient intercept form)

Definition: Any expression written in the form y = mx + c graphically represents a straight line
and is called slope intercept form.

m is the slope of the line (shows the direction of the line) and

c is the y-intercept of the line (the y-coordinate of the point at which the graph of the line cuts
the y-axis).

Example: State the slope and the y-intercept of the given L line in each case

L : y = 3x + 5 , slope = 3 y − int ercept : 5

3 3
L : y = −2 x + , slope = −2 y − int ercept :
5 5

L : y = x + 1 , slope = 1 y − int ercept :1

L : y = 5 , slope = 0 y − int ercept : 5

y = 0x + 5
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L : y = 2 x , slope = 2 y − int ercept : 0

y = 2x + 0

We can determine the slope intercept form of a line in two different ways:

a) By having two points of the line

b) By having one point of the line and the line’s slope

Example: Find the slope intercept form of the line that passes through points A ( 2,10 ) and

B ( 4,18 )

Solution All I need to do is estimate the values of m

and c.
We are looking for a form y = mx + c
m is the line’s slope and can be given by the
y2 − y1
slope formula m = once we apply it
x2 − x1
for the given points.

18 − 10 8
m= = =4
4−2 2

I now need to find the value of c. To find c I

will use any of the given points and think the
y = 4x + c
following.
“ A point lies on a line if its coordinates satisfy
the line’s equation”
This means that for any of the given points I
choose to use, if I substitute its coordinates in
place of x and y, this will produce a true
statement.

y = 4x + 2 For A ( 2,10 ) ,
x = 2, y = 10
10 = 4  2 + c → 10 = 8 + c → c = 2 :
2
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Example: Find the slope intercept form of the line that passes through the point A ( 3,7 )

and has a slope of 2.

Solution

y = mx + c
Slope is given directly. It is equal to 2 and
therefore m=2.
y = 2x + c
To find c, I will use the given point A.

x = 3, y = 7
y = 2x + 1
7 = 23 + c → 7 = 6 + c → c =1

Case 2: Point slope form

Definition: Any expression in the form y − y1 = m ( x − x1 ) is called point slope form a line.

Through such a form, one can easily understand the line’s slope m and a point that lies on the
line. It will be the point with coordinates ( x1 , y1 ) . .

Like with the 1st case, here as well, to find the point slope form of a line we either need two
points of the line or one point of the line and the line’s slope.

Example: Find the point slope form of the line that passes through the points A ( 4,10 ) and

B ( 3,15 ) .

Solution

15 − 10 5
m= = = −5 It’s up to me to decide which point to use.
3− 4 −1 ,
Although they don’t seem equal, both of them express
A(4,10) : y − 10 = −5 ( x − 4 ) the same line. In fact, if we decide to make operations,
both will lead to the same expression.

B(3,15) : y − 15 = −5 ( x − 3)

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Example: Find the point slope form of the line passing through point A ( −2,5) with a slope of -

6.

Solution

m = −6 

x1 = −2 → y − 5 = −6 ( x − (−2) ) → y − 5 = −6 ( x + 2 )
y1 = 5 

Changes between slope intercept form and point slope form

Example: Write the slope intercept form of the line described by y − 4 = 3 ( x − 6 )

solution:

y − 4 = 3( x − 6)
y − 4 = 3x − 18 Just apply distributive property
y = 3x − 18 + 4
y = 3x − 14

Example: Write a point slope form of the line described by

Solution:

y = 2x + 8 Try to write the constant term (here number 8) as a sum

between the coefficient of x (slope) (here number 2) and
y = 2x + 2 + 6 a second number.
y = 2 ( x + 1) + 6
Therefore 8 = 2 + 6
y − 6 = 2 ( x + 1)
Then use the coefficient of x as a common factor.

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Case 3: Standard form

Definition: Any expression in the form ax + by = c is called standard form of a line

To find the standard form of a line, one must firstly find either the slope intercept or the point
slope form of the line, and then rearrange the terms so that those that involve variables get on
one side.

Case 4: General form of a line

Definition: Any expression in the form ax + by + c = 0 is called general form of a line .

It is obvious that similarly to the standard form, to get the general form of a line, we would
have first to find the line’s slope intercept form or slope point form. The only difference would
be that we would then need to rearrange all terms so that we leave 0 on one side.

Example: Find the general form of the line passing through points A ( 2, −5) and B ( −4,3)

Solution:

y2 − y1 3 − (−5) 8 8 4
m= = = =− =−
x2 − x1 −4 − 2 −6 6 3

4 4
y − y1 = m ( x − x1 ) → y − (−5) = − ( x − 2) → y+5= − ( x − 2)
3 3

4 8
→ y+5= − x+ → 3 y + 15 = −4 x + 8
3 3

→ 4 x + 3 y + 15 − 8 = 0 → 4x + 3y + 7 = 0

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Sometimes, we might be asked to write the general form ax + by + c = 0 in a way that a, b and
c are integers.

Then, we need to multiply all terms of the equation found by the LCM of the denominators.

Example

1 2
If the equation found is in the form x + y + 4 = 0 , then in order to meet the previously
2 3
mentioned condition and make all values of a, b and c integer ones, all we need to do is
multiply every term by 6, since this is the LCM of the denominators.

This will create:

1 2
6 x + 6 y + 64 = 0
2 3

3x + 4 y + 24 = 0