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Basic Algebra question - cookderosa - 01-07-2010
Ok, let's not poke fun of the old lady who doesn't know how to do math...hilarious
There is a problem that I have never been able to figure out, and it's biting me hard in ALEKS. I've spent the past 45 minutes overriding ALEKS' attempt at getting me to move to a new topic- and another 20 minutes on google...still unsure.
So, the question is about finding the rise and run when you are given the y intercept point. Here is what I know:
y=mx+b
What continues to confuse me is the exact rule for finding rise and run. I thought that you go from Y to X, but that doesn't always work. Some questions they seem to go from Y to X, but others from X to Y. Is it a right/left thing? An up/down thing? A negative into positive thing? As you know, if you go in the wrong direction you'll end up wrong lol. (or at least I know that!) What's the freakin rule here???
:mad:
Basic Algebra question - TMW2010 - 01-07-2010
Yes, I've edited the post because I misread what Cook was asking :p
The slope is rise (y2-y1) over run (x2-x1) with the line going from Left(x1,y1) to Right(x2,y2)... If you have a point at (0,0) and a point at (3,3) the slope would be (3-0)/(3-0) or 1/1 or 1 in simplified format.
If you had a point at (-1,1) and a point at (-4,2) the slope would be (1-2)/(-1-(-4)) or -1/(-1+4) which equals -1/3.
Even though I wrote the (-1,1) first in that sentence, (-4,2) is actually the left-most point of the two points given on the line, and that would be your (x1,y1) point. I was incorrect in stating this, it doesn't matter which you choose as your first point.
Basic Algebra question - cookderosa - 01-07-2010
TMW2010 Wrote:Rise & run are to get the slope (m)>>
The y intercept is the point where x=0
So, no matter what the slope is, the Y intercept for y=mx+b will be y=b because x=0.
No, this isn't helpful. I'm needing you to go back before to when you find m.
When you actually count out the spaces to do rise and run, I get it wrong about half the time. I either go up then over, or down then up, or whatever. I can't get my brain around the rule to do it correctly.
Basic Algebra question - cookderosa - 01-07-2010
I don't know if this will pull it up or not
Basic Algebra question - TMW2010 - 01-07-2010
cookderosa Wrote:>>
No, this isn't helpful. I'm needing you to go back before to when you find m.
When you actually count out the spaces to do rise and run, I get it wrong about half the time. I either go up then over, or down then up, or whatever. I can't get my brain around the rule to do it correctly.
Psst, I reread your question and changed my post..<Grin>
Basic Algebra question - cookderosa - 01-07-2010
TMW2010 Wrote:Psst, I reread your question and changed my post..<Grin>>>
thanks. I'm just going to go left to right. I'm still not sure what
"The slope is rise (y2-y1) over run (x2-x1) with the line going from Left(x1,y1) to Right(x2,y2)... If you have a point at (0,0) and a point at (3,3) the slope would be (3-0)/(3-0) or 1/1 or 1 in simplified format. "
means. It's not you, really, it's me
Basic Algebra question - TMW2010 - 01-07-2010
You have a line on a graph going from left to right. If the line is lower on the left than it is on the right, it has a positive slope. If the line is lower on the right than it is on the left, it has a negative slope. (Keep that in mind when you're doing the following math to determine the value of the slope.)
The first point on the line going Left to Right is your Point 1.
The second point on the line that is to the right of Point 1 is your Point 2
To calculate the slope of the graph you have the formula (y2-y1)/(x2-x1).
y2 (the y value of the right point) - y1 (the y value of the left point) <~This is also called the Rise
divided by
x2 (the x value of the right point) - x1 (the x value of the left point) <~ this is also called the Run
Basic Algebra question - TMW2010 - 01-07-2010
Here's a link that may or may not help you...
Slopes at Purplemath.com
Basic Algebra question - TMW2010 - 01-07-2010
I had incorrect information above. It does not matter which point you choose to be the first point. I've always done it left to right (because I thought I had learned that was the way to do it, shrug) and I still think its easier to do it that way, as a measure of conformity.
Basic Algebra question - cookderosa - 01-07-2010
TMW2010 Wrote:You have a line on a graph going from left to right. If the line is lower on the left than it is on the right, it has a positive slope. If the line is lower on the right than it is on the left, it has a negative slope. (Keep that in mind when you're doing the following math to determine the value of the slope.)
The first point on the line going Left to Right is your Point 1.
The second point on the line that is to the right of Point 1 is your Point 2
To calculate the slope of the graph you have the formula (y2-y1)/(x2-x1).
y2 (the y value of the right point) - y1 (the y value of the left point) <~This is also called the Rise
divided by
x2 (the x value of the right point) - x1 (the x value of the left point) <~ this is also called the Run
Ok, I follow this. But this isn't how ALEKS tells you to do it. They just have you count spaces up and over. :confused:
Alright- don't tell my son, but I'm skipping this. I have it in my pie, and I get it right most of the time, I'll just deal when the assessmnt comes.