# Math Help - writing the equation of a line...woohoo!

1. ## writing the equation of a line...woohoo!

I have these points of a line:
(100, 6.5) (110, 5.9) (120, 5.4) (130, 5.0) (140, 4.6) (150, 4.3) (160, 4.1)
together, they form a curved line, so the slope is inconsistant
I need the equation of this line....i think it is a hyperbola, so it may possibly have something to do with the equation y=1/x...thanks

2. Originally Posted by cortnee
I have these points of a line:
(100, 6.5) (110, 5.9) (120, 5.4) (130, 5.0) (140, 4.6) (150, 4.3) (160, 4.1)
I need the equation of this line....thanks
if all these points lie on the same line, then you only need two points to get the line. if not, you are after the best fit line.

take two points $(x_1,y_1)$ and $(x_2,y_2)$

the slope of the line connecting these two points is given by:

$m = \frac {y_2 - y_1}{x_2 - x_1}$

so use that to find $m$

when you're done, the equation of the line will be given by the point slope form:

$y - y_1 = m(x - x_1)$

just plug in the values and solve for $y$ and you will get something in the form $y = mx + c$ which is what you want.

if all the points, in fact, do not lie on the same line, then find the average slope and use it in the formula i gave you. (by that i mean find the slope between each consecutive pair of points and average them).