Equation of a Line - General Form
This is the original page for the general form for the equation of a line. All this information plus more can be found on our new general form page. You can find that page by clicking here. There is a link back to this original page on the new page.
Ax + By + C = 0 or y = (-A/B)x + (-C/B)
Above is a program that will help you visualize how changing the values for the variables A, B, and C will affect the graph of the equation y = (-A/B)x + (-C/B). At first the program will be automatically cycling through several values for A, B, and C. If you want to use the sliders to control it yourself, just press the 'You Control' button.
Notice that the slope is equal to the opposite of A divided by B, that is, (-A/B). Also, notice that the y-intercept is equal to the opposite of C divided by B, that is, (-C/B).
Summary of Details
This linear function:
f(x) = (-A/B)x + (-C/B)
May be graphed on the x, y plane as this equation:
y = (-A/B)x + (-C/B)
This equation is often also written as:
Ax + By + C = 0
- This equation is called the general form for a line.
- The graph of this equation is a straight line.
- The slope of the line is (-A/B).
- The y-intercept is (-C/B).
