Mathematics Form 4

Chapter 5 Straight Lines

CHAPTER 5 STRAIGHT LINES

1.0 Linear Equations

History:
Ren Descartes in the 1600s invented the Cartesian coordinate system, and
bridges algebra and geometry. This means he started the concept of using
coordinate to represent functions. This is what we are going to learn.

1.1 Why learn lines in maths?

What is a linear equation really? Lines! Just as quadratic equations are curved
lines,
linear equations produce straight lines.

Say we have y=2 x3 . Lets try.

First find y for each x below:

x y
0 You can try other values of x
1
and see if you get a point right
2
on the line.

Try this too 4 x 3 y=12 .

Are all equations linear equation? No.

2
y=x 2 , y=2 xy , y= +2 are not linear equations.
x

For linear equation, every term is a constant, or a constant and another unknown
which has power 1.

1.2 The graph paper

A point on a graph paper will be represented in coordinates:
(x , y )

Compare with a linear equation, we also have x and y terms.

3 x y =6

This means that for certain (x,y) pair/points on the graph,

They will touch on the line for the equation.

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 Mathematics Form 4
Chapter 5 Straight Lines

These points are the solution of the equation. Try if (4,4) is a solution.

3 (4)4=8

(4,4) did not give 6 as the equation wants. So, this point is not the solution.

To determine which point is the solution for the equation:

a) 4 x 1=3 y +5 . Check points (3,2) and (2,3).

For (3,2),
4 (3 )1=11 and 3 ( 2 )+ 5=11 . Both gives 11, thus is indeed equal and
satisfies the equation.

For (2,3),
4 (2 )1=7 and 3 ( 3 ) +5=14 . Both gives different answers, thus are not
equal. This point does not satisfy the equation.

2.0 Gradient or slope or steepness

We can see that the green line is steeper
than the blue lines.

What is steepness? Imagine going up a hill.

When we go up by some distance (rise), Ris
how much would we have gone further e
horizontally (run)?

In maths, we can express this as:

rise Increasevertical Run
=
run Increase horizontal

Take the green line:

Increasevertical 10
=
Increase horizontal 5

Try to move by different lengths:

Increasevertical
=
Increase horizontal
Notice that both will simplify to 2. This means that for the distance you travelled
on the ground, you will have travelled 2 times as much upwards. This is the
slope.
2
In maths, we can also express this as:
change y y
Slope= =
change x x
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Chapter 5 Straight Lines

What about negative slopes? How do they look like?

2.1 Calculating slopes

2.1.1 Slopes from the graphs
How do we find slopes from a graph?

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 Mathematics Form 4
Chapter 5 Straight Lines

Pick any 2 points and

find out the change in x
and y.
Then pick 2 new points
and go the other way.

Try finding the slopes in the Everest set:

a) 2/3

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 Mathematics Form 4
Chapter 5 Straight Lines

b) -1

c)

2.1.2 Slopes from 2 points

Given two points, without the graph, we can still find the slope, as we have x and
y from the points.
change y y
Slope= =
change x x

Choose our starting point, and end point. We can choose as we like! As long as
we use the same for x and y.

Start (4, 2)
y (3 )4 7 1
Slope = = = =
x 162 14 2

End (3,16)

Find the slopes for the x set:

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 Mathematics Form 4
Chapter 5 Straight Lines
a) (6,9) and (7,1) -8
b) (-1,8) and (3,-4) -3
c) (-4, 2) and (3, -3) -5/7
d) (11.4 , 11.5) and (12.7 , 15.4) 3
e) (7 , -1) and (-3 , -1) 0
f) (4, 3) and (4,1) Undefined

3.0 Intercept
Intercepts occur when two line meets.
When we say x-intercept, we mean the point
where our line meets the x-axis. On the graph
paper, the x-axis always lie at y=0.
Thus, to find x-intercept, we can:
a) Find from graph if we have one.
b) Sub y=0 into equation.

Vice versa for y-intercept.

Find intercepts for Newton set:

1
a) 2 y+ x =12 (36, 0) (0, 6)
3

b) 5 x +4 y=20 (-4, 0) (0, 5)

4.0 Equation of Straight Lines

For starters:
What is the equation of a straight horizontal line through (-4 , 6)?
y=6
What is the slope of the line y=-4? 0
What is the slope of the line x=-3
Undefined
What is the equation of a straight vertical line through (-5 , -2)?
x=-5

We knew that linear equations are lines. And there are many ways to write linear
equation.

y=2 x+3 or 2 x + y=3 or ( y5)=2( x1)

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 Mathematics Form 4
Chapter 5 Straight Lines

But if we want to draw the line, one way is useful, which is:
y=2 x+3
When generalised, becomes:
y=mx +c
Where m is slope or gradient, and c is the y-intercept.
Lets try and put x=0 in the equation. We get 3, which is actually on the axis line.
This is the intercept, which is c!
Now pick another point to find slope. Try put x=1, find y=5. Now find the slope,
we get 2, which is m.

When plotting, its easy to put the y-intercept first. Then according to the slope
of 2, if we increase x by 1, we increase y by 2. Trace this on the graph paper to
find your new point. Join the points and you get the line.

Draw lines for the Turing equations:

a) 5 x+2 y=20

b) y=2 x+ 7

c) 4 x +2 y=8

d) 4 x =8

e) 2 y=8

Answers:

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 Mathematics Form 4
Chapter 5 Straight Lines

a) 5 x+2 y=20
2 y=205 x
205 x
y=
2
5
y= x+ 20
2
Choose some values of x. We can start with x=0.
x Y
0 10
2 5
b) 5 y=2 x+7
Choose some values of x. We can start with x=0.
x Y
0 7
2 11

Find the slopes for Pascal set:

a) x+ 3 y =10 -1/3
b) 6 x+ 10 y =8 -3/5
c) y +1=3( x 4) 3

In equations, we look at the

m in y=mx +c . Which is
5.0 Parallel Lines
the slope
Parallel of are
lines thetwo
line.(or more) lines which has the same slope, however they are
different lines. So, they never meet. Think of two race cars if they race straight
forward, until they
In the graph, whichreach
linesthe
arefinish line, they will never crash to each other.
Because
parallel?the drivers are driving in parallel to each other.

Looking at the three equations

below, which lines are
parallel?

a) y=2 x6

b) y=3 x6
8
c) y=2 x+ 5
 Mathematics Form 4
Chapter 5 Straight Lines

Try to determine which lines are parallel in the Euler set:

3
a) Lines y= x4 and 4 y20=3 x and 3 x +4 y=40
4
Line 1 & 3
b) Lines 2 y=12 x +10 and y=6 and y2=6( x +2) Line 1 &
3

6.0 Perpendicular Lines

Perpendicular lines are not in this chapter, but is very much related to this topic.
Just know that just as lines can be parallel, they can also be perpendicular!