Converting Slope Intercept Form to Standard Form

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<h3>Converting Slope Intercept Form to Standard Form</h3>

Any equation that relates the first power of x to the first power of y produces a straight line on an x-y graph. The standard form of such an equation is Ax + By + C = 0 or Ax + By = C. When you rearrange this equation to get y by itself on the left side, it takes the form y = mx +b. This is called slope intercept form because m is equal to the slope of the line, and b is the value of y when x = 0, which makes it the y-intercept. Converting from slope intercept form to standard form takes little more than basic arithmetic.

TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read)

To convert from slope intercept form _y_ = _mx_ + _b_ to standard form _Ax_ + _By_ + _C_ = 0, let _m_ = _A_/_B_, collect all terms on the left side of the equation and multiply by the denominator _B_ to get rid of the fraction.



The General Procedure

An equation in slope intercept form has the basic structure

(y = mx + b)

1. Subtract mx From Both Sides

(begin{aligned}y – mx &= (mx – mx ) + b y – mx &= bend{aligned})

2. Subtract b From Both Sides (Optional)

(begin{aligned}y – mx – b &= b – b)(y – mx – b &= 0end{aligned})



3. Rearrange to Put the x Term First

(-mx + y – b = 0)

4. Let the Fraction A/B Represent m

If m is an integer, then B will equal 1.

(-frac{A}{B}x + y – b = 0)



5. Multiply Both Sides of the Equation by the Denominator B

(-Ax + By – Bb = 0)

6. Let Bb = C

(-Ax + By – C = 0)

Examples:

(1) – The equation of a line in slope intercept form is:

(y = frac{1}{2} x + 5)

What is the equation in standard form?

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1. Subtract 1/2 x From Both Sides of the Equation

(y – frac{1}{2}x = 5)

2. Subtract 5 From Both Sides

(y – frac{1}{2}x – 5 = 0)

3. Multiply Both Sides by the Denominator of the Fraction

(2y – x – 10 = 0)

4. Rearrange to Put x as the First Term

(-x + 2y – 10 = 0)

You can leave the equation like this, but if you prefer to make x positive, multiply both sides by -1:

(x – 2y + 10 = 0)

or

(x – 2y = -10)

(2) – The slope of a line is -3/7 and the y-intercept is 10. What is the equation of the line in standard form?

The slope intercept form of the line is

(y = -frac{3}{7}x + 10)

Following the procedure outlined above:

(begin{aligned}y + frac{3}{7}x – 10 = 0)(7y + 3x – 70 = 0)(3x + 7y -70 = 0)(text{or})(3x + 7y = 70end{aligned})

Dave Pennells

By Dave Pennells

Dave Pennells, MS, has contributed his expertise as a career consultant and training specialist across various fields for over 15 years. At City University of Seattle, he offers personal career counseling and conducts workshops focused on practical job search techniques, resume creation, and interview skills. With a Master of Science in Counseling, Pennells specializes in career consulting, conducting career assessments, guiding career transitions, and providing outplacement services. Her professional experience spans multiple sectors, including banking, retail, airlines, non-profit organizations, and the aerospace industry. Additionally, since 2001, he has been actively involved with the Career Development Association of Australia.