ACT Math : Other Lines

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #41 : Coordinate Geometry

What is the slope of the line represented by the equation 6y-16x=7\(\displaystyle 6y-16x=7\) ?

Possible Answers:

\frac{8}{3}\(\displaystyle \frac{8}{3}\)

16\(\displaystyle 16\)

\frac{7}{6}\(\displaystyle \frac{7}{6}\)

6\(\displaystyle 6\)

-16\(\displaystyle -16\)

Correct answer:

\frac{8}{3}\(\displaystyle \frac{8}{3}\)

Explanation:

To rearrange the equation into a y=mx+b\(\displaystyle y=mx+b\) format, you want to isolate the y\(\displaystyle y\) so that it is the sole variable, without a coefficient, on one side of the equation.

First, add 11x\(\displaystyle 11x\) to both sides to get 6y=7+16x\(\displaystyle 6y=7+16x\) .

Then, divide both sides by 6 to get y=\frac{7+16x}{6}\(\displaystyle y=\frac{7+16x}{6}\) .

If you divide each part of the numerator by 6, you get y=\frac{7}{6}+\frac{16x}{6}\(\displaystyle y=\frac{7}{6}+\frac{16x}{6}\) . This is in a y=b+mx\(\displaystyle y=b+mx\) form, and the m\(\displaystyle m\) is equal to \frac{16}{6}\(\displaystyle \frac{16}{6}\), which is reduced down to \frac{8}{3}\(\displaystyle \frac{8}{3}\) for the correct answer.

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Slope Of A Line

What is the slope of the given linear equation?

2x + 4y = -7

Possible Answers:

1/2

-2

-7/2

-1/2

Correct answer:

-1/2

Explanation:

We can convert the given equation into slope-intercept form, y=mx+b, where m is the slope. We get y = (-1/2)x + (-7/2)

Example Question #501 : Geometry

What is the slope of the line:

\(\displaystyle \frac{14}{3}x=\frac{1}{6}y-7\)

 

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle -7\)

\(\displaystyle 28\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{1}{28}\)

\(\displaystyle -28\)

\(\displaystyle -\frac{1}{28}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 28\)

Explanation:

First put the question in slope intercept form (y = mx + b):  

(1/6)y = (14/3)x  7 =>

y = 6(14/3)x  7

y = 28x  7.

The slope is 28.

Example Question #2 : How To Find The Slope Of A Line

What is the slope of a line that passes though the coordinates (5,2)\(\displaystyle (5,2)\) and (3,1)\(\displaystyle (3,1)\)?

Possible Answers:

\frac{1}{2}\(\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}\)

-\frac{2}{3}\(\displaystyle -\frac{2}{3}\)

\frac{2}{3}\(\displaystyle \frac{2}{3}\)

-\frac{1}{2}\(\displaystyle -\frac{1}{2}\)

4\(\displaystyle 4\)

Correct answer:

\frac{1}{2}\(\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}\)

Explanation:

The slope is equal to the difference between the y-coordinates divided by the difference between the x-coordinates.

\(\displaystyle m=\frac{y_2-y_1}{x_2-x_1}\)

Use the give points in this formula to calculate the slope.

\(\displaystyle m=\frac{1-2}{3-5}=\frac{-1}{-2}=\frac{1}{2}\)

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Slope Of A Line

What is the slope of a line running through points \(\displaystyle (7,3)\) and \(\displaystyle (8,-4)\)?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 7\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{7}{3}\)

\(\displaystyle 1\)

\(\displaystyle -\frac{1}{7}\)

\(\displaystyle -7\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle -7\)

Explanation:

The slope is equal to the difference between the y-coordinates divided by the difference between the x-coordinates.

\(\displaystyle m=\frac{y_2-y_1}{x_2-x_1}\)

Use the give points in this formula to calculate the slope.

\(\displaystyle m=\frac{3-(-4)}{7-8}=\frac{7}{-1}=-7\)

Example Question #4 : How To Find The Slope Of A Line

What is the slope of the line defined as \(\displaystyle 3x + 4y = 22\)?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \frac{-2}{11}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{-4}{3}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{11}{2}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{-3}{4}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{4}{3}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \frac{-3}{4}\)

Explanation:

\(\displaystyle 3x + 4y = 22\)

To calculate the slope of a line from an equation of the line, the easiest way to proceed is to solve it for \(\displaystyle y\).  This will put it into the format \(\displaystyle y=mx+b\), making it very easy to find the slope \(\displaystyle m\).  For our equation, it is:

\(\displaystyle 4y = 22-3x\) or \(\displaystyle 4y = -3x+22\)

Next you merely need to divide by \(\displaystyle 4\):

\(\displaystyle y = \frac{-3}{4}x+\frac{22}{4}\)

Thus, the slope is \(\displaystyle \frac{-3}{4}\)

Example Question #91 : Algebra

What is the slope of the line perpendicular to \(\displaystyle 4x + 2y = 88\)?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \frac{-1}{11}\)

\(\displaystyle 11\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}\)

\(\displaystyle -2\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{44}{3}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}\)

Explanation:

To begin, it is easiest to find the slope of a line by putting it into the form \(\displaystyle y=mx+b\).  \(\displaystyle m\) is the slope, so you can immediately find this once you have the format correct.  Thus, solve our equation for \(\displaystyle y\):

\(\displaystyle 2y = 88-4x\)

\(\displaystyle y = -2x +44\)

Now, recall that perpendicular lines have slopes of opposite sign and reciprocal numerical value.  Thus, if our slope is \(\displaystyle -2\), its perpendicular paired line will have a slope of \(\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}\).

Example Question #91 : Coordinate Plane

What is the slope of the line defined by the equation \(\displaystyle 3x + 5y = y + 20\)?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 20\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{4}{3}\)

\(\displaystyle -20\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{1}{3}\)

\(\displaystyle -\frac{3}{4}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle -\frac{3}{4}\)

Explanation:

The easiest way to find the slope of a line based on its equation is to put it into the form \(\displaystyle y=mx+b\). In this form, you know that \(\displaystyle m\) is the slope.  

Start with your original equation \(\displaystyle 3x + 5y = y + 20\).

Now, subtract \(\displaystyle y\) from both sides:

\(\displaystyle 3x + 4y = 20\)

Next, subtract \(\displaystyle 3x\) from both sides:

\(\displaystyle 4y = 20-3x\)

Finally, divide by \(\displaystyle 4\):

\(\displaystyle y = 5-\frac{3}{4}x\)

This is the same as:

\(\displaystyle y = -\frac{3}{4}x + 5\)

Thus, the slope is \(\displaystyle -\frac{3}{4}\).

Example Question #731 : Act Math

What is the slope of the line represented by the equation \(\displaystyle 4y - 5 = 12x\) ?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 1/3\)

\(\displaystyle -5/12\)

\(\displaystyle 3\)

\(\displaystyle 5\)

\(\displaystyle -3\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 3\)

Explanation:

The slope of an equation can be calculated by simplifying the equation to the slope-intercept form \(\displaystyle y = mx + b\), where m=slope.

Since \(\displaystyle 4y - 5 = 12x\), we can solve for y. In shifting the 5 to the other side, we are left with \(\displaystyle 4y = 12x + 5\).

This can be further simplified to 

\(\displaystyle y = 3x + \frac{5}{4}\), leaving us with the \(\displaystyle y = mx + b\) slope intercept form.

 

In this scenario, \(\displaystyle m=3\), so slope \(\displaystyle =3\).

 

Example Question #2 : How To Find The Slope Of A Line

Find the slope of the line  6X – 2Y = 14

 

Possible Answers:

12

-6

3

-3

Correct answer:

3

Explanation:

Put the equation in slope-intercept form:

y = mx + b

-2y = -6x +14

y = 3x – 7

The slope of the line is represented by M; therefore the slope of the line is 3.

 

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